Amateur-built NONE accident near Tracy, California, May 14, 1983
On May 14, 1983 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built NONE (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Tracy, California (Tracy Municipal airport). 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
- May 14, 1983 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · Tracy Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NONE
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial NONE
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD BUILT THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE AT HOME BY USING THE PLANS OF A WEEDHOPPER. REPORTEDLY, HE HAD USED MATERIALS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMILAR TO OR STRONGER THAN THOSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED BY A WEEDHOPPER KIT. A FRIEND, WHO HAD FLOWN THE VEHICLE, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY WELL BUILT & HE ENJOYED FLYING IT. PRIOR TO THE FATAL FLT, THE OWNER HAD TAXIED THE ULTRALIGHT, BUT HAD NEVER FLOWN IT NOR ANY OTHER KNOWN ACFT. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE REPORTLY SAID 'WELL, I HAD THIS PLANE FOR 6 MONTHS. TODAY, EITHER I AM GOING TO FLY IT OR SELL IT.' AFTER TAKING OFF, HE CLIMBED TO APRX 200 TO 300 FT & WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A LEFT TURN. AFTER ENTERING THE TURN, THE VEHICLE ENTERED A STEEP, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED. NO EVIDENCE OF AN ENG POWER LOSS OR PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,418 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.