Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE accident near Plant City, Florida, November 17, 2024
On November 17, 2024 at about 6:20 pm local time, a 1988 amateur-built BAKENG DUCE, registered N72WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Plant City, Florida (Plant City airport). 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
Failure of the right main landing gear attachment bolt and hold-down nut, resulting in the right main landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2024 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plant City, Florida · Plant City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE, built 1988
- Registration
- N72WJ · registry record · serial 72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a touch-and-go, the pilot stated that he was applying power for his go-around when the right wing started “dropping” and the airplane ground looped, coming to a stop facing west. The pilot commented that he looked straight ahead and saw his right main landing gear laying on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the main landing gear mounting plate, lower wing strut attach fitting, and surrounding structure. Postaccident inspection revealed that the right inboard mounting bolt and the right outboard forward landing gear strut attachment bracket bolt hold-down nut failed. Subsequently, the hold-down bracket bent, and the right main landing gear separated from the fuselage upon landing..
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 20.8 in this make and model; 16.6 in the last 90 days; 3.8 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 205.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 7, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,649 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 2,232 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,950 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from PCM
Weather report (METAR): KPCM 171815Z AUTO 06007KT 10SM BKN048 27/14 A3010 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane postaccident
Photograph 2 – Right main landing gear postaccident
Photograph 4 – Postaccident damaged landing gear attach plate with bolt half
Photograph 5 – Right main landing gear attach bolt half
Photograph 6 – Postaccident damaged landing gear attach bracket and lower wing strut attach fitting
Photograph 7 – Gear leg retention bracket bolt with locknut threadsThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Aircraft Times | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 8 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� FAA Inspectors Statement of Gear Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N72WJ 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.