Amateur-built BD5B accident near Merced, California, May 4, 1986
On May 4, 1986 at about 5:19 pm local time, a amateur-built BD5B, registered N357X, was destroyed in an accident near Merced, California (Merced airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- May 4, 1986 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Merced, California · Merced · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD5B
- Registration
- N357X · registry record · serial WRIGHT 0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROUND WITNESSES AND THE PILOT REPORTED THE CANOPY OPENED SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 30 AT MERCED AIRPORT, MERCED, CA. THE PILOT EXECUTED A STEEP LEFT BANKING TURN. WHEN THE AIRPLANE TURNED ABT 140 DEG IT PITCHED UP, ROLLED INVERTED AND NOSED DOWN INTO THE GROUND. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE AFT CANOPY LOCKING PINS WERE NOT ENGAGED.
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: 450 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 28, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 941 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda EB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,903 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 pm from MCE, 5 miles away
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.
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.