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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

November 8, 1992 · Bede Aircraft BD-5B · N84EJ

Guntersville, AL

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 8, 1992
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Guntersville, AL
Aircraft
Bede Aircraft BD-5B
Tail Number
N84EJ
Operator
Johnson Edward H Jr
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL93LA023

After lift off from the runway, at about six to eight feet, the landing gear was retracted and the nose of the airplane pitched down. The airplane is equipped with a side stick controller and a manually actuated landing gear. The landing gear handle is located forward of the pilot in the center of the floor, between the pilot's legs, and is pulled aft to retract the gear. The bottom of the airplane contacted the runway which separated the oil cooler scoop. The pilot then entered a right hand traffic pattern. According to witnesses, as the airplane was turned from the base to final leg it stalled abruptly, rolled left more than once, and began a vertical dive to impact. Post crash examination of the airplane revealed fire damage and continuity of the flight controls. The pilot's handbook indicates that an accelerated stall will result in a left roll. It also states that a stall buffet will occur about 72 mph. The log book for N84EJ noted that the airplane had a clean stall speed of 80 mph, and a stall speed of 85 mph in a 60 degree one 'G' right turn.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRPLANE, DURING THE BASE TO FINAL TURN, AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO EFFECT RECOVERY. FACTORS WERE THE IMPROPER LIFT OFF, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE RE CONTACTING THE RUNWAY AFTER LIFT OFF, AND SERVED TO DISTRACT THE PILOT DURING THE TURN TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE.

Full Narrative

AFTER LIFT OFF FROM THE RUNWAY, AT ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT FEET, THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED & THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A SIDE STICK CONTROLLER & A MANUALLY ACTUATED LANDING GEAR. THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IS LOCATED FORWARD OF THE PILOT IN THE CENTER OF THE FLOOR, BETWEEN THE PILOT'S LEGS, & IS PULLED AFT TO RETRACT THE GEAR. THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WHICH SEPARATED THE OIL COOLER SCOOP. THE PILOT THEN ENTERED A RIGHT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, AS THE AIRPLANE WAS TURNED FROM THE BASE TO FINAL LEG IT STALLED ABRUPTLY, ROLLED LEFT MORE THAN ONCE, AND BEGAN A VERTICAL DIVE TO IMPACT. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED FIRE DAMAGE AND CONTINUITY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE PILOT'S HANDBOOK INDICATES THAT AN ACCELERATED STALL WILL RESULT IN A LEFT ROLL. IT ALSO STATES THAT A STALL BUFFET WILL OCCUR ABOUT 72 MPH. THE LOG BOOK FOR N84EJ NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD A CLEAN STALL SPEED OF 80 MPH, & A STALL SPEED OF 85 MPH IN A 60 DEGREE ONE 'G' RIGHT TURN.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:00 CST
Nearest AirportGuntersville Muni. (1nm SW)
Runway2
Runway Length3360 ft
Runway Width95 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBede Aircraft BD-5B
Tail NumberN84EJ
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJohnson Edward H Jr
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsHonda · EB2 · Reciprocating · 110
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 41 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind150° @ 5 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point55 / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time20:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data