Quicksilver MXLII 101 Sport accident near Galt, California, July 20, 2005
On July 20, 2005, a Quicksilver MXLII 101 Sport (ultralight), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Galt, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering for a forced landing that resulted in a stall and uncontrolled descent into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2005
- Place
- Galt, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quicksilver MXLII 101 Sport, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The unregistered airplane lost engine power during cruise flight and crashed into an open area on a golf course. A witness reported hearing something wrong with the engine and it appeared as if the pilot was attempting to restart the engine. The witness stated that as he watched the airplane, he saw the propeller turn two times, but that the engine did not start. The airplane banked to the north and then made a 180-degree turn to south. As the airplane was headed south over the number 2 fairway, it appeared to the witness that the pilot lost control of the airplane. The witness then watched the airplane nose-dive to the ground. An examination of the engine revealed no mechanical discrepancies. There were no airframe or maintenance logbooks found for the unregistered airplane. According to manufacturer's specifications, the airplane exceeded the 14 CFR Part 103 weight requirements to be considered an ultralight. There is no record that the pilot held a flight training exemption. The pilot did not hold any Federal Aviation Administration issued pilot or medical certificates.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 335 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 502 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O3 Lodi CA
- Destination: 1O3 Lodi CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from SCK, 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.