Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fresno, California 93727
Saturday, May 9, 1992 15:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH A BERM. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ITS STARTER RING GEAR HAD FAILED WHERE IT HAD BEEN WELDED TO THE ENGINE FLYWHEEL (FLEXPLATE).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB DUE TO A FRACTURE AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE STARTER RING GEAR. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS THE AIRPLANE OWNER'S INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FRESNO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93727
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2705
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47505
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N811Q
NTSB Number LAX92LA208
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 CORBUS/WINTERS
Aircraft Model BD-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier BD-5B
Aircraft Serial Number 3239
Certified Max Gross Weight 890
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD WINTERS & HOWARD CORBUS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6464 SEQUOIA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93711
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOWARD WINTERS & HOWARD CORBUS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6464 SEQUOIA DRIVE
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93711
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MAE
Destination City MADERA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --