American Aerolights EAGLE XL accident near Sommerton, Arizona, June 26, 1983
On June 26, 1983 at about 4:59 pm local time, a American Aerolights EAGLE XL (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Sommerton, Arizona. 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
- June 26, 1983 · about 4:59 pm local time
- Place
- Sommerton, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aerolights EAGLE XL
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS IN ANOTHER ULTRALIGHT SAW THE PLT OF THE EAGLE XL CLIMB TO ABOUT 800 TO 1000 FT AGL AFTER TAKING OFF. THE WITNESS WAS APRX 500 FT AGL WHEN HE SAW THE EAGLE XL START A STEEP DESCENT FROM HIS 8 TO 9 O'CLOCK HIGH POSITION AND THOUGHT THE EAGLE XL PLT WAS DESCENDING TO MEET HIM. HE LOOKED AWAY TO SCAN FOR OTHER TRAFFIC AND WHEN HE LOOKED BACK HE SAW THE EAGLE XL JUST BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICLE DIVE. HE NOTICED THAT BEFORE IMPACT THE LEFT WING APPEARED TO BE SWEPT BACK APRX 15 TO 20 DEG MORE THAN THE RIGHT WING. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FRONT FLYING WIRE WAS FOUND SEPARATED AT THE BOWSPRIT ATTACHPOINT. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY FAILED A FLIGHT PHYSICAL DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PASS TWO DEPTH PERCEPTION TESTS. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE RAPID DESCENTS AND HAD SAID HE ENJOYED DOING THESE MANEUVERS.
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: 83 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 465 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 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from YUM, 5 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.