Amateur-built J-3BR503 accident near Lake Elsinore, California, March 7, 1984
On March 7, 1984 at about 7:55 pm local time, a amateur-built J-3BR503 (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Elsinore, 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
- March 7, 1984 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Elsinore, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built J-3BR503
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 46011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A PAST VERTICAL INVERTED POSITION. THE WINGS FAILED IN NEGATIVE LOAD AFTER THE PLT LOST CONTROL IN PITCH WITH THE AIRSPEED DECREASING AND STALLED INTO A DIVE. THE PLT WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR WAS WATCHING FROM THE GROUND AND TALKING TO HIM ON A ONE-WAY RADIO. THE CFI WAS CALLING FOR A LEVEL FLT AT 40-45 MPH. THE ACFT STALLS AT 21 MPH AND HAS A TOP SPEED OF 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 600 FT AGL WHEN THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE BEGAN. THE STUDENT PLT HAD FLOWN 10 HOURS OF DUAL AND THIS SOLO FLT LASTED ABOUT 25 MINUTES. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF ANY FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WHICH MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AUTOPSY EXAMINATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WHICH WOULD HAVE DETRACTED FROM THE PLTS ABILITY TO FLYTHE VEHICLE. THE PLT WAS 60 YEARS OLD AND DID NOT HAVE A PILOTS CERTIFICATE.
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: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX-GMBH (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.