- Date
- May 4, 1986, 10:19 local (17:19 UTC)
- Place
- Merced, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N357XWright BD5B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860504015449A
- Case key
- 24865
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Window,flight compartment window/windshield - unlockedFactor
Aircraft preflight - inadequateCause
Window,flight compartment window/windshield - openFactor
Loss of control - in flight
Airspeed - not maintainedCause
Stall - inadvertentFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
Ground witnesses and the pilot reported the canopy opened shortly after departing runway 30 at Merced airport, Merced, CA. The pilot executed a steep left banking turn. When the airplane turned abt 140 deg it pitched up, rolled inverted and nosed down into the ground. The investigation disclosed the aft canopy locking pins were not engaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N357X
- Reported as
- Wright BD5B
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- WRIGHT 0001
- Engine
- Honda EB3, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jack B. Wright
- Registered owner
- Wright, Jack B
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · March 28, 1984
- Airport
- MCE · Merced, runway 30, 5,903 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 40 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCE, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.