Pterodactyl ASCENDER NONE

Summary

On 27 June 1982 at about 14:20 local time, a Pterodactyl ASCENDER registered NONE, operated by Ultralight East, Inc., was involved in an accident near Near Largo, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 June 1982 at 14:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Near Largo, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Pterodactyl ASCENDER

Registration

NONE

Category

Ultralight

Engines

1

Operator

Ultralight East, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Near Largo → Near Largo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA82AA027

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE PREPARING FOR A FLIGHT TO FILM A SEGMENT FOR A TV PROGRAM ABOUT ULTRALIGHTS,THE PILOT COMPLETED A SERIES OF TAXI TESTS & CLIMBS TO ABOUT 50FT AGL FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. HE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED TO USE NO MORE THAN3/4 POWER & NEVER FLY BEYOND VNE OF 55MPH. HE THEN COMMENCED A TAKEOFF & STEEP CLIMB AT FULL POWER & PROCEEDED TO MAKE SOME TURNS,CLIMBS & DESCENTS FROM ABOUT 500-1000FT. THE ULTRALIGHT THEN ENTERED A FULL POWER DESCENT & BEGAN A PITCH OSCILLATION FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT WING. IN REVIEWING A VIDEO TAPE,IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT LOST HIS FOOTING ON THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING BAR & WAS TOSSED FORWARD DURING THE PITCH OSCILLATION. THE PILOT WAS LIFTED UP OUT OF HIS SEAT DURING THE OSCILLATION. BOTH WINGS FOLDED & THE PILOT FELL CLEAR OF THE ULTRALIGHT. THE PILOT DID NOTHAVE HIS SEAT HARNESS FASTENED. NO PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD EVER BEEN ISSUED TO THE PILOT. FEDERAL REGULATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE A PILOT OF AN ULTRALIGHT TO RECEIVE TRAINING OR POSSESS AN AERONAUTICAL RATING IN THIS CATEGORY OF AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.