Amateur-built BD-4 accident near Clarinda, Iowa, February 19, 2012
On February 19, 2012 at about 7:20 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-4, registered N215BD, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Clarinda, Iowa. 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
A loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2012 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Clarinda, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-4
- Registration
- N215BD · registry record · serial 215
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Global positioning system data indicated that the airplane had taken off about 41 minutes before the accident and had flown about 60 nautical miles. The last portion of the data indicated that the airplane was making a descending left turn toward the departure airport. The last recorded position was almost directly above the accident site; the airplane impacted a field in a near vertical attitude about 1.2 miles from the airport. Based on the last two recorded data positions, the airplane was in a 60 foot-per-minute rate of descent at 115 knots on a heading of 351 degrees. This data indicated that the airplane was well above the airplane’s stall speed and provided no explanation for the mishap. Postaccident examination of the airplane and its engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 93 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 15, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 SER A&C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ICL Clarinda IA at 6:49 pm
- Destination: ICL Clarinda IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from ICL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.