Amateur-built BD-5 accident near Montgomery, New York, August 13, 1990
On August 13, 1990 at about 1:47 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-5, registered N32324, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montgomery, New York (Montgomery Orange County 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WHILE PERFORMING INITIAL HIGH-SPEED TAXI TESTS. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1990 · about 1:47 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, New York · Montgomery Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-5
- Registration
- N32324 · no longer on the register · serial 2827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS PART OF THE INITIAL TESTING OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING REPEATED HIGH SPEED TAXI RUNS ON THE RUNWAY. ON THE EIGHTH OR NINTH RUN THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BANKED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT, AND WHEN HE REDUCED POWER TO TOUCH DOWN THE AIRPLANE SANK INTO THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT COMPLETED BUILDING THE KIT AIRPLANE IN 1983. SINCE THAT TIME, HE HAD RUN THE ENGINE AND TAXIED THE AIRPLANE FOR 80 HOURS, BUT HAD NO FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.
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
- Flight time: 1,023 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 913 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 680 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda EB3-2063159 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,006 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 82°F (28°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from SWF, 10 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.