Amateur-built BD-5B accident near Phoenix, Arizona, October 30, 1996
On October 30, 1996 at about 5:40 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-5B, registered N169DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Williams Gateway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb, due to an undetermined cooling system malfunction. A related factor was: soft terrain in the forced landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1996 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Williams Gateway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-5B
- Registration
- N169DS · registry record · serial 29
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as he was doing touch-and-go operations, the engine overheated and lost power during the takeoff initial climb. He landed in flat desert terrain, and the landing gear collapsed as the airplane touched down in soft soil. Responding bystanders and fire personnel stated that fuel was leaking from the aircraft as they arrived. A responding FAA inspector stated that on his arrival, several hours after the accident, the coolant temperature gauge was pegged above the redline limit. The inspector reported that the cylinder interiors exhibited evidence of high heat. No determination was made regarding the cooling system.
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: 12,600 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 782 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWA AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30C, 3,109 ft by 46 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.