Spirit Of St. Louis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
Thursday, September 14, 1995 11:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT TEST MISSION WAS FOR HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS WITH THE INTENT TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND FOR A FLIGHT ABOVE THE RUNWAY. AFTER LIFTOFF THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE'S LONGITUDINAL HANDLING QUALITIES WERE UNDESIREABLE. HE SAID HE COULD NOT ACHIEVE A PROPER AIRPLANE PITCH ATTITUDE TO ESTABLISH A FLARE LANDING ATTITUDE BEFORE THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE AIRPLANE'S INADEQUATE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS WHICH RESULTED IN THE INABILITY TO CONTROL PITCH ATTITUDE DURING LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHESTERFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63017
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 470
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 470
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 725
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1135
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N112BD
NTSB Number CHI95LA325
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bede Aircraft
Aircraft Model BD12
Aircraft Series Identifier BD12
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1830
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. BEDE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 863 N WOODPOINT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CHESTERFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63017
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BEDE AIRCRAFT CO.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 18421 EDISON AVE
Operator City CHESTERFIELD
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63005
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SUS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1153
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Other
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 7005
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --