Rotec RALLY 2B UNREG

Summary

On 8 May 1983 at about 17:45 local time, a Rotec RALLY 2B registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Manvel, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 May 1983 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Manvel, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.4800, -95.3493

Aircraft

Rotec RALLY 2B

Registration

UNREG

Category

Ultralight

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 103: Ultralight

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Alvin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW83FU001

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

THE PLT HAD FLOWN THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE TO HIS EMPLOYER'S HOUSE & LANDED IN THE BACK YARD. DURING THE LANDING, THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHICH INCLUDED A BENT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE, A SHEARED KINGPIN BOLT & A CRACKED TAIL BOOM TO TAILMOUNT SLEEVE. A HARDENED BOLT WAS PURCHASED AT AN AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORE & PARTIAL REPAIRS WERE MADE; HOWEVER, THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM WAS NOT DETECTED. THE ULTRALIGHT WAS PREFLIGHTED & THE PLT TOOK OFF. AFTER CIRCLING ONCE & WAVING, HE STARTED ON THE RETURN FLT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WITNESSES HEARD THE ENG SLOW OR STOP AS THE ULTRALIGHT PITCHED NOSE DOWN INTO A STEEP DIVE & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT TAIL BOOM TUBE HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. DURING IMPACT, IT HAD PENETRATED THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SAIL WITHOUT BENDING. THE LEFT TAIL BOOM WAS BENT DURING IMPACT. A PICTURE OF THE ULTRALIGHT (TAKEN BEFORE TAKEOFF) REVEALED THAT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS SLIGHTLY ANGLED FROM THE HORIZONTAL AXIS OF THE ULTRALIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.