American Aerolights EAGLE XL accident near Happy Valley, Oregon, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983 at about 8:50 pm local time, a American Aerolights EAGLE XL (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Happy Valley, Oregon (Troh'S Happy Valley airport). 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
- July 4, 1983 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Happy Valley, Oregon · Troh'S Happy Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aerolights EAGLE XL
- 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 ULTRALIGHT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AIRSHOW. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PILOT HAD JUST EXECUTED A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING AND COMMENCED A CLIMBING 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN TO DOWNWIND IN WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WINGOVER TYPE MANEUVER. DURING THE TURN, THE VEHICLE WAS OBSERVED TO EXCEED 90 DEGREES OF BANK (LEFT WINGDOWN) AND A RAPID SLIP DEVELOPED. THE ULTRALIGHT WAS PLACARDED FOR A MAXIMUM ANGLE OF BANK OF 6O DEGREES. IT WAS OBSERVED TO DESCEND INTO TREES IN AN EXTREME LEFT WING LOW CONDITION.
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: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,300 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from TTD, 8 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.