Amateur-built DA5B accident near Odessa, Texas, October 13, 2004
On October 13, 2004 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DA5B, registered N1002W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Odessa, Texas (Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airpor). 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
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2004 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Odessa, Texas · Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DA5B
- Registration
- N1002W · no longer on the register · serial 06
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a high-speed taxi test on his newly completed airplane, the pilot unintentionally became airborne. Not wanting to drop the airplane back on the ground and getting close to the end of the runway the pilot elected to go full throttle and made a wide left turn to return to the runway. On the first approach the airplane was going too fast, so the pilot elected to go around the airfield a second time to perform a "normal" approach. Once past the runway threshold marker the pilot pulled the engine throttle back to idle and on touchdown the airplane bounced back into the air. The airplane then bounced a second time and departed the runway settling into the grass adjacent to the runway. During the rollout the nose gear dug into the soft terrain, and the airplane nosed-over, coming to rest in an inverted position.
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: 143 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 867 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen Conversion (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ODO Odessa TX
- Destination: ODO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,703 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from ODO
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 N1002W 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.