Amateur-built RALLY 2B accident near Keller, Texas, August 26, 1983
On August 26, 1983 at about 12:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RALLY 2B (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Keller, Texas. It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1983 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Keller, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RALLY 2B
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 64169
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ASSEMBLING HIS ULTRALIGHT, THE PLT RECEIVED DUAL INSTRUCTION IN A 2 PLACE MODEL. AFTER HIS 2ND DUAL FLT, HE TOLD HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) HE HAD SOLOED HIS VEHICLE. THE CFI CAUTIONED HIM AGAINST FURTHER SOLO FLTS UNTIL HE WAS QUALIFIED &EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO WEAR A HELMET. 3 DAYS LATER, WITNESSES SAW THE VEHICLE CRUISING AT APRX 300 TO 500 FT AGL WHEN ITSUDDENLY ROLLED RIGHT & ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED. NONE OF THE WITNESSES COULD VERIFY THE ENG STATUS BEFORE IMPACT. NEITHER OF THE PROP BLADES HAD ROTATIONAL DAMAGE, BUT 1 BLADE BROKE WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND. THE ENG WAS STARTED WITH FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANK & OPERATED NORMALLY. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS MOUNTED ON THE CONTROL STICK NEXT TO THE TWIST GRIP THROTTLE & WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE ENG WAS EQUIPPED WITH A CENTRIFUGAL CLUTCH & COULD NOT BE STARTED BY A WINDMILLING PROP. THE PLT WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET & HAD SUFFERED EXTENSIVE HEAD INJURIES. HIS CFI HAD WARNED HIM THAT HIS SPOILER LINES WERE TOO TIGHT & COULD RESULT IN UNWANTED SPOILER ACTION WTIH AFT STICK MOVEMENT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 194 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 168 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 436 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:46 pm from FTW, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.