Rotec RALLY 3 UNREG

Summary

On 17 July 1984 at about 02:00 local time, a Rotec RALLY 3 registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Grand Island, Nebraska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

17 July 1984 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Island, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.9499, -98.2897

Aircraft

Rotec RALLY 3

Registration

UNREG

Category

Ultralight

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 103: Ultralight

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC84LU006

2 people were seriously injured.

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

BEFORE THE FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR SAW A THUNDERSTORM APPROXIMATETLY 20 MI NORTH OF THE FIELD, MOVING SLOWLY TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST. HE & THE STUDENT ELECTED TO MAKE A SHORT FLT. AFTER TAKING OFF, THEY MADE A PRACTICE FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 1 MI NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. AFTER THE FORCED LANDING, THEY START ANOTHER TAKEOFF RUN. AT THE SAME TIME THE TAIL WAS RAISED DURING THE ROLL, A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THE AIR WAS DEAD CALM, THEN 1 SEC LATER, IT GUSTED TO 40 MPH. HE SAID THAT THE ULTRALIGHT WENT STRAIGHT UP IN A FLAT CLIMB, MUCH LIKE A HELICOPTER. AFTER REACHING AN ESTIMATED 200 FT AGL, THE ROUGH AIR REPORTEDLY ROLLED THE ULTRALIGHT INTO A 90 DEG LEFT BANK & IT BEGAN A FAST DESCENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE IMPACTED IN A SHALLOW POND WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH. THE STUDENT WAS WEARING A MOTORCYCLE HELMET & STATED THAT IT SAVED HIM FROM HAVING A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.