Amateur-built QUICKSILVER GT-500 accident near San Antonio, Texas, December 21, 1997
On December 21, 1997 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKSILVER GT-500, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas (Bat Cave Field). It was an instructional flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the kitplane builder's improper installation of the bolts attaching the left leading edge wing strut fitting to the leading edge spar, which resulted in the eventual failure of the fitting and the ensuing loss of control. Related factors were: the owner/pilot's failure to ensure that a condition inspection of the aircraft was performed, and failure of the aircraft's emergency (Ballistic Recovery System) parachute to fully deploy.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1997 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Bat Cave Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKSILVER GT-500 QUICKSILVE
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the left leading edge wing strut fitting failed, & the amateur-built aircraft, which was being operated as an ultralight vehicle under an exemption to Title 14 CFR Part 103, entered a left spin. The ultralight instructor pilot deployed the aircraft's emergency parachute, which inflated partially & slowed the aircraft's rate of descent. A witness observed the aircraft impact the ground in a nose down attitude at an estimated speed of 25 to 30 mph. Examination revealed the wing strut fitting failed due to improper installation of the 3 bolts, used to secure the fitting to the leading edge wing spar. The bolts had been inserted through the forward holes of the fitting, through holes in the tubular spar, but not through the rear holes of the fitting. This defect was not visible during preflight inspections; however, it could have been found during a condition inspection, since a zipper installed in the fabric lower wing surface provided access to examine the rear of the fitting with the aid of a flashlight & mirror. No record was found to indicate that a condition inspection had been performed on the kit-built aircraft, in accordance with provisions for using the '2-Place Training Exemption.' The aircraft was first flown in February 1995 & had been owned by the pilot since June 1995. The main line, which fastened the Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) parachute to the airplane, was found wrapped around the propeller drive shaft of the rear-mounted (pusher) engine.
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
- Flight time: 1,220 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,215 as pilot in command; 13 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 98 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TS67 at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.