Amateur-built ASCENDER II accident near Palm Bay, Florida, April 1, 1984
On April 1, 1984 at about 2:05 pm local time, a amateur-built ASCENDER II (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Palm Bay, Florida. 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
- April 1, 1984 · about 2:05 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Bay, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ASCENDER II ASCENDER I
- 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 PLTS OF 2 ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES WERE ACCOMPANYING EACH OTHER & WERE FLYING WEST AT 500 FT AGL IN CALM AIR WHEN AN ACFT CROSSED AHEAD OF THEIR FLT PATH. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATE TO BE FLYING AT ABOUT 140 KTS & APRX 40 FT ABOVE THE ULTRALIGHTS' ALT. THE SURVIVING PLT STATED THAT HE CLIMBED TO CROSS ABOVE THE ACFT'S FLT PATH. HOWEVER, THE OTHER ULTRALIGHT, A PTERODACTYL ASCENDER II, CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD & CROSSED ABOUT 10 SEC BEHIND THE ACFT. AFTER CROSSING THE ACFT'S FLT PATH, THE ASCENDER WAS SEEN TO SLOW DOWN & DRIFT TO THE RIGHT, THEN ENTER A SPIN & CRASH. REPORTEDLY, A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING HAD FAILED BEFORE THE ULTRALIGHT CRASHED. NO PREEXISTING CRACKS WERE FOUND. ALL FACTURES WERE TYPICAL OF THOSE PRODUCED BY OVERSTRESS.
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: 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from MLB, 6 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.