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NTSB Report
July 5, 1983 · Airmass Sunburst · UNREG
Tacoma, WA
Overview
Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 5, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Tacoma, WA
Aircraft
Airmass Sunburst
Tail Number
UNREG
Operator
Jeffery Castanga
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA83FU007
THE ULTRALIGHT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN TO TACOMA WITH 2 PHANTOM ULTRALIGHTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE AIRSHOW. DURING DESCENT THE 3 ACFT HAD REACHED SPEEDS OF 75-80 MPH. AFTER LANDING, ONE OF PHANTOM PLTS ASKED THE SUNBURST PLT IF HE KNEW HOW FAST HE WAS GOING AND HE ANSWERED '...NO,NOT REALLY...' THE SUNBURST WAS EQUIPPED WITH A GRADUATED PLASTIC TUBE WITH A MOVABLE FLOAT TO INDICATE AIRSPEED. THE TOP MARK IS '55.' DURING THE AIRSHOW WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT STARTING A DESCENDING LEFT TURN, THEN SUDDENLY 'JERKED' TO THE RIGHT, PITCHING UP ABOUT 10 DEG. THE RIGHT WING WENT BACKWARDS, THENBOTH WINGS ROTATED UPWARDS. THE LEFT WING FRONT SPAR WAS FOUND PULLED OUTWARD FROM THE BOLT & ALUMINUM SPACER. THE RIGHTWING REAR SPAR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BOLT & BRACKET. THE RIGHT WING FLYING CABLES SEPARATED AT THE RIGHT REAR CARRY THROUGH ATTACHMENT POINT. THE PLTS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.05%.
Full Narrative
THE ULTRALIGHT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN TO TACOMA WITH 2 PHANTOM ULTRALIGHTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE AIRSHOW. DURING DESCENT THE 3 ACFT HAD REACHED SPEEDS OF 75-80 MPH. AFTER LANDING, ONE OF PHANTOM PLTS ASKED THE SUNBURST PLT IF HE KNEW HOW FAST HE WAS GOING AND HE ANSWERED '...NO,NOT REALLY...' THE SUNBURST WAS EQUIPPED WITH A GRADUATED PLASTIC TUBE WITH A MOVABLE FLOAT TO INDICATE AIRSPEED. THE TOP MARK IS '55.' DURING THE AIRSHOW WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT STARTING A DESCENDING LEFT TURN, THEN SUDDENLY 'JERKED' TO THE RIGHT, PITCHING UP ABOUT 10 DEG. THE RIGHT WING WENT BACKWARDS, THENBOTH WINGS ROTATED UPWARDS. THE LEFT WING FRONT SPAR WAS FOUND PULLED OUTWARD FROM THE BOLT & ALUMINUM SPACER. THE RIGHTWING REAR SPAR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BOLT & BRACKET. THE RIGHT WING FLYING CABLES SEPARATED AT THE RIGHT REAR CARRY THROUGH ATTACHMENT POINT. THE PLTS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.05%.
Flight
Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:10 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo
Aircraft
AircraftAirmass Sunburst
Tail NumberUNREG
Aircraft CategoryUltr
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJeffery Castanga
Operating RulePart 103
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsCuyuna · 430 CC · Reciprocating · 30
Seats1
People & Injuries
Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 25 · Unknown
Conditions
ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT