Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE accident near St. Helena, California, August 25, 1985
On August 25, 1985 at about 1:35 am local time, a amateur-built BAKENG DUCE, registered N113CP, was destroyed in an accident near St. Helena, California (Inglenook Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1985 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- St. Helena, California · Inglenook Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BAKENG DUCE BAKENG DUC
- Registration
- N113CP · registry record · serial 11315
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLT HAD ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON THE PRIVATE RANCH AIRSTRIP AND A GO AROUND WAS PERFORMED. THE ACFT THEN REVERSED DIRECTION AND DESCENDED, STRIKING A 6 FOOT HIGH METAL FENCE POST BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE. THE PLT, AN A&P MECHANIC, HAD PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE ACFT AND WAS RETURNING IT TO THE OWNER WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 203 Angwin CA at 7:00 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 1,700 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.