THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN 75 TO 80 HRS IN AN ULTRALIGHT CONTROLLED BY A COMBINATION OF WEIGHT-SHIFT & RUDDER. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE & HIS PARTNER HAD PRACTICED A SERIES OF CROW HOPS IN A TERATORN TA. THE TERATORN TA WAS A 3-AXIS CONTROLLED ULTRALIGHT WHICH HAD STICK CONTROLLED SPOILERONS & ELEVATOR & A FOOT PEDAL ACTUATED RUDDER. THE PLT STATED THAT ON HIS LAST CROW HOP, HE WAS FLYING ABOUT 5 FT ABOVE THE GROUND ACROSS AN OPEN FIELD WHEN HE FOUND HIMSELF INADVERTENTLY HEADING TOWARD A SINGLE, 40 FT TREE. HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN AWAY & DECIDED TO FLY OVER THE TREE. A CLIMB WAS INITIATED. HOWEVER, AS THE ULTRALIGHT REACHED ABOUT TREETOP LEVEL, THE VEHICLE MUSHED, THEN THE RIGHT WING DROPPED & THE ULTRALIGHT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THIS WAS THE PLT'S 1ST FLT IN THIS AIRCRAFT, WHICH HE & HIS PARTNER HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED. HE HAD NOT RECEIVED DUAL INSTRUCTION IN EITHER A TWO-PLACE ULTRALIGHT OR A CERTIFICATED POWERED ACFT. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

PLANNING/DECISION..IMPROPER..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

INADEQUATE TRANSITION/UPGRADE TRAINING..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL..NOT UNDERSTOOD..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..HIGH OBSTRUCTION(S)

Index for Jun1984 | Index of months