Amateur-built DYKE DELTA JD-2 accident near Billings, Montana, August 21, 1992
On August 21, 1992 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built DYKE DELTA JD-2, registered N78BS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan Intnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1992 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan Intnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DYKE DELTA JD-2 DYKE DELTA
- Registration
- N78BS · no longer on the register · serial 1077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LANDING WAS NOT HARD AND WAS FREE OF SIDE LOADS. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE SEPARATED WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE HAD SEPARATED ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO DISENGAGE FOLLOWED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE STRUT. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WHEEL AXLE REVEALED A PRE-EXISTING CRACK CONSISTENT WITH FATIGUE.
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
- Flight time: 1,735 hours in all; 960 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1992; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from BIL, 1 miles away
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.