Amateur-built FLEDGE 2B-FOXBAT accident near Penn Valley, California, August 21, 1983
On August 21, 1983 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built FLEDGE 2B-FOXBAT (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Penn Valley, California. It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 21, 1983 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Penn Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FLEDGE 2B-FOXBAT FLEDGE 2B-
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 1160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AFTER A POWER LOSS DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ACCOMPLISHED A NORMAL PREFLT AND WALKED OVER THE FIELD BEFORE HIS FIRST TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF, ALL WENT WELL FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE THEN A POWER LOSS AND A LOSS OF RUDDER CONTROL WERE EXPERIENCED. THE ULTRALIGHT PITCHED UNCONTROLLABLY DOWNWARD THEN CLIPPED THE TOP OF A 60 FT TREE. THE PILOT & VEHICLE FELL VERTICALLY TO THE GROUND & IMPACTED IN A NOSE LOW PITCH ATTITUDE. THE PILOT HAD 12 HRS TOTAL FLYING TIME, ALL IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 75 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna UL202 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.