Amateur-built ULTRALIGHT accident near Elsinore, California, November 15, 1983
On November 15, 1983 at about 10:40 pm local time, a amateur-built ULTRALIGHT, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elsinore, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- November 15, 1983 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Elsinore, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ULTRALIGHT
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial A-537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER PURCHASING THE 2 ENG ULTRALIGHT, THE PLT MODIFIED IT BY INSTALLING 2 ADDITIONAL ENGS. THESE WERE 6 HP PIONEER ENGSINSTALLED IN THE #1 & #4 POSITIONS. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE VEHICLE FLYING OVER THE CENTER OFA LAKE AT APRX 250 FT & AT HI SPEED. REPORTEDLY, IT ENTERED A RIGHT BANK, WHICH CONTINUED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLEDESCENDED & STRUCK THE WATER IN A NOSE 1ST ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS, AN OUTBOARDENG HAD INADVERTENTLY SHUT DOWN, INFLT. A FRIEND OF THE PLT HAD FLOWN THIS SAME VEHICLE & HAD EXPERIENCED AN OUTBOARD ENG SHUTDOWN. HE CONFIRMED THAT FULL OPPOSITE RUDDER WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. ALL PROPELLERS WERE FOUND BROKEN,EXCEPT #4 WHICH WAS NOT DAMAGED. FLEXIBLE FUEL LINES WERE FOUND INSERTED IN THE FUEL TANK TO PICKUP FUEL FOR THE #1 & #4ENGS; HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT SECURED TO ASSURE PROPER DEPTH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SHOULDER HARNESS. THE PLT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY KNOWN PLT GROUND TRAINING. HE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT APRX 5 HRS AFTER IT WAS MODIFIED WITH 4 ENGS.
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: 100 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 7 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax PIONEER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.