Mitchell T10 accident near Sparks, Nevada, November 4, 1983
On November 4, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Mitchell T10 (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Sparks, Nevada. It was an instructional flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 2 people were 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
- November 4, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sparks, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitchell T10
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial T1034
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE VEHICLE BEGAN A PITCH OSCILLATION, THEN WENT INTO A STEEP, RIGHT DESCENDING SPIRAL UNTIL IT STRUCK THE GROUND. ANOTHER PLT, WHO WAS FLYING IN THE VICINITY REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS CALM & THE WAS NO TURBULENCE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE OWNER THOUGHT THAT THE STUDENT'S FOOT MIGHT HAVE BECAME 'HOOKED' BETWEEN HIS RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL & PART OF THE VEHICLES STRUCTURE. HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT VERTIFIED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 752 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 436.6 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from RNO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.