Amateur-built EAGLE XL accident near Mayville, New York, August 6, 1983
On August 6, 1983, a amateur-built EAGLE XL (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Mayville, New York (Dart airport). 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
- Place
- Mayville, New York · Dart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAGLE XL
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 20029
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ULTRALIGHT WAS IN LEVEL FLT AT APRX 150 TO 200 FT AGL WHEN THEY HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG NOISE CEASED & THE VEHICLE ENTERED A SPIRALING DESCENT & CRASHED. A RIP IN THE WING CENTER SECTION WAS SEEN PRIOR TO IMPACT. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE LARGE REDUCTION ASSEMBLY, DRIVE PULLEY HAD SEPARATED FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT. 2 OF 4 CONNECTING BOLTS WERE FOUND FRACTURED & THE OTHER 2 HAD SEPARATED WITHOUT FRACTURING. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOOSENESS & FRETTING PRIOR TO THE BOLT FAILURES. RED PAINT HAD TRANSFERRED FROM THE PROP TIPS TO THE WING STRUTS. THEPROP TIPS HAD SEPARATED & THE WING FABRIC HAD TORN AT THE WING ROOTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER SECTION. THE FAILED & MISSING BOLTS HAD BEEN INSTALLED DURING A DRIVE SHAFT PULLEY ADAPTER HUB RETROFIT, APRX 3 FLT HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT,BEFORE THE PLT PURCHASED THE ULTRALIGHT FROM A PREVIOUS OWNER. NO WASHERS, TORQUE VALUES OR SAFETYING REQUIREMENTS WERE SPECIFIED FOR THE BOLTS IN THE RETROFIT INSTRUCTIONS & THE BOLTS HAD NOT BEEN SAFETY WIRED.
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: 10 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D79 Mayville NY at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from BUF, 53 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.