Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE accident near Brownsboro, Alabama, April 12, 1990
On April 12, 1990 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BAKENG DUCE, registered N72WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsboro, Alabama (Moontown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE REFERENCE SPEED ON APPROACH AND ESTABLISH A PROPER GLIDEPATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1990 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsboro, Alabama · Moontown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE BAKENG DUC
- Registration
- N72WJ · registry record · serial 72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED AT 0620 WITHOUT EATING. A FUEL STOP WAS MADE AT 0900 WHEN HE ATE A SWEET ROLL. THREE HOURS LATER HE ATTEMPTED THE THIRD STRAIGHT IN APPROACH OF HIS FLYING CAREER TO A SHORT TURF STRIP. HE STATED HE FIXATED ON THE IDEA THAT HE MUST SLOW THE AIRPLANE FOR THE SHORT FIELD, BUT DID NOT CROSS CHECK THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR. RATHER, HE CONCENTRATED SOLELY ON THE ALTIMETER AND THE RUNWAY. CONSEQUENTLY, UPON APPLICATION OF FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, THE LEFT WING DROPPED. THE AIRPLANE HAD SLOWED BELOW THE SPEED FOR AILERON EFFECTIVENESS. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT HIS REST AND DIET HAD BEEN INADEQUATE FOR THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 404 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 144 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1989; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,775 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TV1 Thomasville GA at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from HSV, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N72WJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.