Amateur-built ASCENDER II accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1983
On March 31, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built ASCENDER II (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania. 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
- March 31, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lehighton, Pennsylvania · 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 · serial 1239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE TAKEOFF & CLIMB IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN TO AN ALT OF ABOUT 1500 FT. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE, THE ULTRALIGHT WAS TURNING WITH A STEEP ANGLE OF BANK. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE WITNESSES HEARD A REDUCTION IN POWER. TWO WITNESSES HEARD A POP/PUFF SOUND. A 3RD WITNESS STATED THE ULTRALIGHT FLIPPED OVER TWICE. ALL 3 WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE WINGS FOLDED OR COLLAPSED & THE ULTRALIGHT FELL OR DOVE TO THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEADING EDGE & REAR TUBULAR SPARS HAD FAILED IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION (RELATIVE TO THE AIRFRAME). ALSO, THE KEEL WAS BROKEN, FORWARD OF THE REAR SPARS & THE KING POST WAS BENT DOWNWARD AT ABOUT THE MIDPOINT. NONE OF THE CABLES FAILED. DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE, THE RIGHT WINGLET SEPARATED & FELL ABOUT 100 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
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: 4 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 535 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 14119 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lehighton PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.