Weedhopper B UNREG

Summary

On 11 July 1993 at about 22:39 local time, a Weedhopper B registered UNREG, operated by Nowell, Charles C. SR., was involved in an accident near Port Arthur, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 1993 at 22:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Arthur, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Pleasure Island (NONE)

Coordinates

29.8891, -93.9204

Aircraft

Weedhopper B

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nowell, Charles C. SR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN93LA077

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE WING FABRIC AND WING SPAR. FACTORS WERE: THE IMPROPER DESIGN CHANGE, MAJOR REPAIR, AND REBUILDING OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE UNREGISTERED AIRPLANE WAS SEEN TO MAKE A HARD LEFT TURN AND ENTER A VERTICAL DIVE FROM AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 100 AND 150 FEET. AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 75 FEET, THE FABRIC SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT WING AND THE WING FAILED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE WAS FRAYED, HAD BROKEN, AND WAS OF THE WRONG SIZE. THE WING FABRIC WAS DETERIORATED, HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PATCHED, WAS OF THE WRONG TYPE AND WEIGHT, AND BORE SPANWISE TEARS. THE WING SPAR HAD FAILED AT A POINT WHERE PREVIOUS REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE. ADDITIONALLY, THE WING RIBS WERE OF THE WRONG TYPE. THE PILOT HAD CONVERTED WHAT HAD BEEN A SINGLE PLACE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE INTO A TWO PLACE AIRPLANE BY USING PARTS FROM WRECKED ULTRALIGHTS, CAUSING THE EMPTY WEIGHT TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.