Amateur-built J6-KARATOO accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, July 23, 1990
On July 23, 1990, a amateur-built J6-KARATOO, registered N89BD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri (East Kansas City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATION DURING INITIAL CLIMB, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1990
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · East Kansas City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built J6-KARATOO
- Registration
- N89BD · registry record · serial 1210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AFTER A BLADE TIP CAME OFF THE PROPELLER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT STATED THAT HE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE PROPELLER FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE STALLED DURING A TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT DOES NOT REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE PROPELLER HAD BEEN MODIFIED (SHORTENED) AND NEW TIPS FABRICATED AND INSTALLED BY ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: 128 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1990; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,810 ft by 44 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from GVW, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI90DCG01.