Amateur-built FLYBABY accident near West Plains, Missouri, May 7, 1989
On May 7, 1989 at about 4:34 pm local time, a amateur-built FLYBABY, registered N1305, was destroyed in an accident near West Plains, Missouri. It was a ferry 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
IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A POWER TRANSMISSION LINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: RISING TERRAIN, TALL GRASS, TAILWIND, AND THE TRANSMISSION WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1989 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FLYBABY
- Registration
- N1305 · registry record · serial 143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD FLOWN ANOTHER ACFT FROM DIKE, IA TO JONESBORO, AR & HAD TRADED IT FOR N1305, WHICH HE WAS FLYING BACK TO DIKE. HE HAD PLANNED AN INTERMEDIATE STOP AT WEST PLAINS, MO. IN THE VICINITY OF WEST PLAINS, WITNESSES HEARD A POPPING SOUND FROM THE ENG. THE PLT LANDED IN A FLD OF KNEE HIGH GRASS NEAR WEST PLAINS. AFTER REPAIRING A REPORTED PROBLEM WITH A SCREW ON THE CARBURETOR, THE PLT ELECTED TO FLY THE ACFT OUT OF THE FIELD. HE INITIATED A TAKEOFF TO THE EAST ON SLIGHTLY RISING TERRAIN WITH A SLIGHT TAIL WIND. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT GAINED LITTLE ALTITUDE BFR RCHG POWER LINES & ENTERED A SHARP TURN. IT THEN PITCHED DOWN & CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THE WIND WAS GENTLE FM THE WEST, BUT MOVEMENT OF TREETOPS INDCD A STRONGER WIND ALOFT.
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: 993 hours in all; 920 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1988; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 925 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: UNO West Plains MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from SGF, 80 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.