Amateur-built EAGLE-2 accident near Miami, Florida, September 15, 1983
On September 15, 1983 at about 1:50 pm local time, a amateur-built EAGLE-2 (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Miami, Florida. 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
- September 15, 1983 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAGLE-2
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 400123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A GRASS FIELD, THE 2 PLACE, ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE REMAINED IN A NORMAL RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN. AS THE VEHICLE WAS ON A BASE LEG FOR LANDING, WITNESSES SAW THE RIGHT WING TRAILING EDGE AREA FLUTTER, THEN THE RIGHT WING DROPPED & THE ULTRALIGHT SPIRALED NOSE DOWN & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED A RIP FROM THE RIGHT REAR INBOARD SAIL AREA. THE RIP ORIGINATED NEAR THE GROMMET & SEAM. ALONG THE 1ST 16 1/2 INCHES OF THE RIP, FROM THE REAR FORWARD, THE THREADS OF THE FABRIC WERE FOUND TO BE FEATHERED. PREVIOUSLY, THE MANUFACTURER HAD RECOMMENDED A MODIFICATION TO THE LEADING EDGE CANARD & THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE SAIL. HOWEVER, THE MODIFICATION WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. THE MODIFICATION TO PREVENT A PROBLEM WITH TORN SAILS CONSISTED OF 2 STRIPS OF BASTING & GROMMETS TO REINFORCE THE WING TRAILING EDGE AT THE INBOARD AREAS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from TMB, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.