Mitchell A-10 accident near Porterville, California, July 11, 1983
On July 11, 1983 at about 3:25 am local time, a Mitchell A-10 (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Porterville, California (Porterville 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
- July 11, 1983 · about 3:25 am local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Porterville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitchell A-10
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 1030
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT OF THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 700 FT AGL IN THE PATTERN & TURNED DOWNWIND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S PARTNER, THE ULTRALIGHT BEGAN A DUTCH ROLL TYPE OF MANEUVER, AND AFTER SEVERAL OSCILLATIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED & ENTERED A SPIN TO THE LEFT. FOUR OTHER WITNESSES ALSO OBSERVED PARTS OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE VEHICLE'S WINGS BEGAN ROCKING ON DOWNWIND, THEN IT ENTERED A SPIN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PLT HAD APRX 40 HRS OF FIXED WING FLT TRAINING ABOUT 9 YRS PREVIOUSLY. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF PLT FOR MITCHELL ACFT, THE PLT HAD COMPLETED A 1 WEEK GROUND SCHOOL COURSE & HAD 5.3 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN A 2 PLACE VERSION OF THE ULTRALIGHT. ON HIS 1ST SOLO FLT, THE PLT DID NOT PERFORM SATISFACTORILY, DUE TO A PANIC REACTION & WAS ADVISED NOT TO FLY SOLO UNTIL AFTER ADDITIONAL DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Zenoah G25B-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,000 ft by 146 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from BFL, 40 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.