Pioneer FLIGHTSTAR accident near Blytheville, Arkansas, February 23, 1984
On February 23, 1984 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Pioneer FLIGHTSTAR (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blytheville, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- February 23, 1984 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blytheville, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pioneer FLIGHTSTAR
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SPUN INTO THE GROUND FROM ABOUT 500 FT AGL. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO BE IN SLOW FLT MAKINGTURNS TO THE RIGHT. AFTER 180 DEGREES OF TURN, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN TO ABOUT 60 DEGREES AND THE LEFT WING WENT DOWN TO ABOUT 75 DEGREES OF BANK ANGLE. AFTER 4 AND 1/2 TURNS, THE ULTRALIGHT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN OPEN FIELD JUST EAST OF THE ARPT. THE PLT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND DOES NOT REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WHO TALKED TO HIM AT THE SCENE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING SPINS TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS AND A PIECE OF THE PROPELLER CAME OFFAND HIT HIM IN THE HEAD KNOCKING OFF HIS HELMET RENDERING HIM UNCONSCIOUS. THIS HAPPENED AT 1200 FT, HE SAID IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW. THE PLTS HELMET WAS FOUND 8 FT BEHIND THE PLT AT THE SCENE. ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER WAS BROKEN OFF AT THE ROOT OF THE BLADE AND WAS FOUND ALONGSIDE THE PROPELLER IN THE WRECKAGE. ONE OF THE FIRST PERSONS ON THE SCENESAID THAT THE PLT HAD HIS HELMET ON AT IMPACT.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kawasaki TA-440/A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from BYH, 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.