American EAGLE 430B accident near Hartshorn, Missouri, April 28, 1983
On April 28, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a American EAGLE 430B (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartshorn, Missouri. 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 28, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hartshorn, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American EAGLE 430B
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CO-OWNER OF THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE WAS WATCHING THE FLT & OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID THE VEHICLE APPROACHED THE PASTURE & WAS DESCENDING FROM APRX 200 FT AS IF THE PLT WAS GOING TO LAND OR FLY BY. THE ULTRALIGHT PASSED OVER THE TAKEOFF/LANDING AREA AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 FT AGL & CONTINUED AT THE SAME ALT & GENERAL DIRECTION FOR APRX 200 YARDS, WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH TREE BRANCHES. SEVERAL OTHER WITNESSES CORROBORATED WHAT THE CO-OWNER HAD DESCRIBED. NO PREIMPACT DEFICIENCES OF THE ULTRALIGHT WERE FOUND. FOUR BOTTLES OF MEDICATION WERE FOUND WHICH INCLUDED ADAPIN, SINEQUAN, THORAZINE, & NARDIL. THE PLT'S DOCTOR REPORTED THAT HE (THE PLT) HAD BEEN TREATED FOR DEPRESSION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS & HAD PERIODS OF MENTAL INCAPACITATION. AUTOPSY & TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMS REVEALED NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT HAD NO FORMAL FLT INSTRUCTION TOWARD CERTIFICATION, BUT HAD RECEIVED 4 HRS GROUND SCHOOL & 40 TO 50 FLTS IN AN UNPOWER VEHICLE TOWED BEHIND AN AUTOMOBILE & A SUPERVISED SOLO FLT.
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: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 510 lb
- 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
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.