Interplane Sky Boy accident near Sayre, Pennsylvania, June 5, 2001
On June 5, 2001 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Interplane Sky Boy (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sayre, Pennsylvania (Blue Swan airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's failure to maintain an adequate climb airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2001 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sayre, Pennsylvania · Blue Swan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Interplane Sky Boy · all Sky Boys on the register
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 8/2000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climbout after takeoff, the ultralight was observed rolling from side to side. It then rolled inverted and impacted the runway. The pilot reported that he "failed to maintain optimal climbing speed."
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
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52.8 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL-2V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N32 Sayre PA
- Destination: N32 Sayre PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,850 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from ELM, 18 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.