Bird BIRD accident near Mccloud, California, August 27, 1983
On August 27, 1983 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bird BIRD (ultralight), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was involved in an accident near Mccloud, 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 27, 1983 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mccloud, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bird BIRD, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 15
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON RANCH LAND, THE UTRALIGHT VEHICLE TOUCHED DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PLT PUT BOTH FEET DOWN TO SLOW THE LANDING ROLL, & SUBSEQUENTLY, BROKE BOTH LEGS. HE STATED THAT HE HAD MISJUDGED THE AIRSPEED WHEN HE PUT HIS FEET DOWN TO STOP.
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: 102 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 102 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°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.