Amateur-built BD-4 accident near Hedrick, Iowa, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-4, registered N108BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hedrick, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not obtaining/maintaining clearance from the fence. A factors was fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hedrick, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-4
- Registration
- N108BC · no longer on the register · serial 153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental airplane sustained substantial damage on contact with a fence and subsequent nose over during a go-around at a private airstrip. The pilot stated, "I aquired permission by telephone from the owner to land at this runway and I also asked him about the condition of the runway. He did not tell me about the trees or the fence." The airstrip owner stated that he would advise pilots that call for landing permission of the current field condition and approach information.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 292 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 292 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 2000; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford 3.8 L V-6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFL Fairfield IA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: PVT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 122°F (50°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from OTM, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N108BC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.