Pterodactyl ASCENDER and Pterodactyl ASCENDER mid-air collision near Jacksonville, Florida, July 10, 1983
On July 10, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Pterodactyl ASCENDER (UNREG) and Pterodactyl ASCENDER (UNREG), were involved in a mid-air collision near Jacksonville, Florida (Herlong airport). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- July 10, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Herlong · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Pterodactyl ASCENDER
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
- Aircraft 2
- Pterodactyl ASCENDER
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative for the Pterodactyl ASCENDER final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF 2 HIGH WING, PTERODACTYL ASCENDER, ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES TOOK OFF & WERE OPERATING IN A DESIGNATED AREA FOR ULTRALIGHTS. ONE PLT (PLT-A) WAS MAKING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS WHILE THE OTHER PLT (PLT-B) WAS MANEUVERING IN THE VECINITY. AFTER PLT-A MADE A TOUCH & GO, PLT-B TURNED TO PARALLEL HIS COURSE. REPORTEDLY, THIS PUT PLT-B HIGH, BEHIND & TO THE RIGHT OF PLT-A, WHO WAS CLIMBING ON A SOUTHBOUND HEADING. PLT-B SAID THAT HE THOUGHT PLT-A HAD SEEN HIM AS THEY CONTINUED ON A SOUTHERLY COURSE. REPORTEDLY, PLT-A DID NOT SEE THE OTHER VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT WAS HIGH/BEHIND HIM. PLT-A REPORTED THAT AFTER CLIMBING TO APRX 100 TO 150 FT, HE TURNED WESTBOUND IN THE PATTERN & THE OTHER ULTRALIHGT WAS STILL IN THE BLIND SPOT OF THE HIGH WING VEHICLE UNTIL JUST BEFORE IMPACT. DURING IMPACT, THE FLYING WIRE FOR THE LEFT WING OF PLT-A'S VEHICLE HIT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OF PLT-B'S VEHICLE. PLT-A'S ULTRALIGHT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED SPIN & CRASHED. PLT-B LANDED WITH A BROKEN RIGHT MAIN WHEEL & A BROKEN STRENGTHENING WIRE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Pterodactyl ASCENDER final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF 2 HIGH WING, PTERODACTLE ASCENDER, ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES TOOK OFF & WERE OPERATING IN A DESIGNATED AREA FOR ULTRALIGHTS. ONE PLT (PLT-A) WAS MAKING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS WHILE THE OTHER PLT (PLT-B) WAS MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY. AFTER PLT-A MADE A TOUCH & GO, PLT-B TURNED TO PARALLEL HIS COURSE. REPORTEDLY, THIS PUT PLT-B HIGH, BEHIND & TO THE RIGHT OF PLT-A, WHO WAS CLIMBING ON A SOUTHBOUND HEADING. PLT-B SAID THAT HE THOUGHT PLT-A HAD SEEN HIM AS THEY CONTINUED ON A SOUTHERLY COURSE. REPORTEDLY, PLT-A DID NOT SEE THE OTHER VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT WAS HIGH/BEHIND HIM. PLT-A REPORTED THAT AFTER CLIMBING TO APRX 100 TO 150 FT, HE TURNED WESTBOUND IN THE PATTERN & THE OTHER ULTRALIGHT WAS STILL IN THE BLIND SPOT OF THE HIGH WING VEHICLE UNTIL JUST BEFORE IMPACT. DURING IMPACT, THE FLYING WIRE FOR THE LEFT WING OF PLT-A'S VEHICLE HIT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OF PLT-B'S VEHICLE. PLT-A'S ULTRALIGHT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED SPIN & CRASHED. PLT-B LANDED WITH A BROKEN RIGHT MAIN WHEEL & A BROKEN STRENGTHENING WIRE.
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 for the Pterodactyl ASCENDER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown NR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 pm from JAX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Pterodactyl ASCENDER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown NR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.