Amateur-built BOREDOM FIGHTER accident near Finley, North Dakota, May 19, 1990
On May 19, 1990 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built BOREDOM FIGHTER, registered N317MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Finley, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXAHUSTION AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL PLANNING. A FACTOR WAS THE DITCH IN WHICH TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1990 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Finley, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BOREDOM FIGHTER BOREDOM FI
- Registration
- N317MA · registry record · serial 100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED HEADWIND THE AIRPLANE WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND SHORT OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. DURING APPROACH FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTED IN A TOTAL POWER LOSS. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A DITCH ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF A ROAD. THE PILOT LISTED AS SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS 'BETTER FUEL PLANNING AND BETTER FLIGHT PLANNING.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 828 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 828 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 770 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVL Devils Lake ND at 7:45 pm
- Destination: FAR Fargo ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N317MA 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.