Amateur-built MX accident near Ramona, California, December 28, 1983
On December 28, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built MX (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Ramona, California. 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
- December 28, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ramona, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MX
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FLYING THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE TO CHECK IT OUT BEFORE ALLOWING HIS STUDENT TO SOLO. APRX 15 MIN AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF, HE WAS FLYING OVER THE ARPT AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL WHEN WITNESSES HEARD A 'LOUD NON-METALLIC' SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, IT ENTERED A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. REPORTEDLY, THE VEHICLE MADE ABOUT 3 TURNS, AND DURING EACH TURN, THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED. AT APRX 200 FT AGL, THE PLT RELEASED HIS PARACHUTE, BUT THE CANOPY NEVER BLOSSOMED.THE VEHICLE IMPACTED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING FABRIC WAS TORN IN A MANNER THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN IN-FLT SEPARATION. THE OUTBOARD COMPRESSION SUPPORT TUBE WAS FOUND 15 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ONLY REMNANTS OF THE ATTACH BOLT WERE FOUND. FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER OCT 83, THE COMPANY HAD CHANGED THE GRADE OF THE BOLT, BUT HAD NOT ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN. HOWEVER, A SERVICE BULLETIN, ALL-8303-A, WAS ISSUED CONCERNING LOOSENING OF COURSE THREAD BOLTS (SIMILAR TO THE ATTACH BOLT) BUT NO EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WAS FOUND.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from CRQ, 18 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.