Amateur-built BD-5B accident near St. George, Utah, May 17, 1994
On May 17, 1994 at about 3:55 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-5B, registered N224FH, was destroyed in an accident near St. George, Utah (St. George Muni 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
CARBURETOR CONTAMINATION AND LOW OUTPUT, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1994 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- St. George, Utah · St. George Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-5B
- Registration
- N224FH · no longer on the register · serial 2248
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM RWY 16 ON THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT'S FIRST FLIGHT, AND REMAINED LOW AND CLOSE IN THE PATTERN. THE ENGINE WAS HEARD RUNNING ROUGH ON DOWNWIND. WHILE TURNING BASE THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE HIS APPROACH RADIOING '... I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED UPSLOPING TERRAIN APPROX 1000 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG REFLECTED A TOTAL OF APPROX 2 HRS FLIGHT TIME IN THE PRECEDING 4 YRS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT CARBURETOR FUEL/AIR MIXTURE SCREW WAS MISADJUSTED, AND THAT THE RIGHT CARBURETOR SLOW IDLE JET WAS PLUGGED WITH SAND.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,166 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Bmw R-R R90S (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from SGU, 1 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.