Amateur-built NONE accident near Broadalbin, New York, August 6, 1983
On August 6, 1983 at about 11:15 pm local time, a amateur-built NONE (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Broadalbin, New York. 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
- August 6, 1983 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Broadalbin, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NONE
- 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 OWNER/BUILDER/PLT HAD RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED THE HOME BUILT ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO FRIENDS, HE MOST LIKELY HAD NEVER RIDDEN IN AN AIRPLANE & HE BELIEVED IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BUILD & FLY THE ULTRALIGHT WITH NO INSTRUCTION. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER OF A GARAGE WHERE THE ULTRALIGHT WAS BUILT, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD ADVISED THE PLT THAT FLT LESSONS WOULD BE PRUDENT, BUT HE DISAGREED. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT HAD MADE TAXI RUNS & HAD SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO 'CROW HOP' THE ULTRALIGHT AS HIS NEXT STEP TOWARD HIS 1ST FLT. HOWEVER, AFTER LIFTING OFF, THE ULTRALIGHT CONTINUED TO CLIMB TO APRX 60 TO 75 FT AGL. AFTER CLEARING ELECTRIC LINES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE FIELD, THE ULTRALIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO BEGIN A LEFT YAW THAT CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD TURNED TO AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE WINGS HAD REMAINED LEVEL UNTIL THIS POINT, THEN THE VEHICLE ENTERED A LEFT ROLL, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN & THE ULTRALIGHT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, ALMOST INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL & CONTINUED OPERATING UNTIL 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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ALB, 25 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.