Amateur-built ASCENDER II accident near Manvel, Texas, October 23, 1983
On October 23, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built ASCENDER II (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manvel, Texas. It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 23, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Manvel, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ASCENDER II ASCENDER I
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, JUST AFTER HE PASSED THE END OF THE RWY. HE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE RWY & THE ENG STOPPED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE STRUCK A STRAND OF BARBED WIRE WHICH WAS MOUNTED ABOUT 30 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WIRE WAS OVER ADJOINING PROPERLY, A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AFTER HITTING THE WIRE, THE ULTRALIGHT CRASHED ON THE RWY. THE PLT DID NOT SEE THE WIRE UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT & WAS UNAWARE THAT IT HAD BEEN INSTALLED THERE. THE REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT VERIFIED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 267 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna UL2-02 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.