Bede Aircraft BD-5B accident near Guntersville, Alabama, November 8, 1992
On November 8, 1992 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bede Aircraft BD-5B, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N84EJ, was destroyed in an accident near Guntersville, Alabama (Guntersville Muni. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1992 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Guntersville, Alabama · Guntersville Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bede Aircraft BD-5B, amateur-built
- Registration
- N84EJ · no longer on the register · serial BD5-1939
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LIFT OFF FROM THE RUNWAY, AT ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT FEET, THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED & THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN.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.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,608 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,504 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 111 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1992; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 710 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda EB2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8A1 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: VPC Cartersville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,360 ft by 95 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from HSV, 30 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.
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.