COMPTON, CA, USA
N3DW
Bede Aircraft BD-5
THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB. WITNESSES REPORTED 'SEEING THE AIRCRAFT FALL STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND.' FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE AND COULD FIND NO PRE-EXISTING DEFICIENCIES WHICH WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK ENTRIES SHOWED NO ENTRIES FOR A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK, HE LAST LOGGED A FLIGHT ON MARCH 26, 1990. FRIENDS OF THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PERIODICALLY FLOWN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE SINCE HE PURCHASED IT IN MARCH 1992. A WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT ATTEMPTED POWER OFF STALLS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. A DILIGENT SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE FAA TO DETERMINE IF THE PILOT HAD A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. THE DILIGENT SEARCH CONCLUDED THAT A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT ON FILE WITH THE FAA.
1) A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, 2) THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, AND 3) THE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A STALL SPIN. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND 2) THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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