Amateur-built BD-5 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, August 26, 1989
On August 26, 1989 at about 7:50 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-5, registered N9BD, was destroyed in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland-Pontiac airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCESSIVE PULL-UP MANEUVER AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1989 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland-Pontiac · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-5
- Registration
- N9BD · registry record · serial 3323
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DEPART ON RUNWAY 09R AT A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT ROLL TO A NEAR INVERTED POSITION AND DESCENDED TO TERRAIN IMPACT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. INSPECTION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION/FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS FLIGHT WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT FOR THE PILOT IN THIS AIRCRAFT SINCE 1987. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY STATED TO A WITNESS THAT HE WANTED TO FLY TO GET USED TO THE FEEL OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 302 hours in all; 302 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda EB 3-0200162 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PTK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI89DEC06.