Amateur-built BD4 accident near Acme, Michigan, July 22, 1985
On July 22, 1985, a amateur-built BD4, registered N115PK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Acme, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1985
- Place
- Acme, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD4
- Registration
- N115PK · registry record · serial 115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON THE SECOND FLT OF NEWLY CERTIFICATED ACFT AND HAD BEEN AIRBORNE APRX 10 MINUTES WHEN A TOTAL LOSS OF PWR WAS EXPERIENCED. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT IN AN OPEN FLD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT STRUCK A ROAD EMBANKMENT SEPARATING THE ENG AND GEAR FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE PLT REPORTED THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS NOT SAFETY WIRED WHEN IT WAS RERIGGED JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLT. THE MIXTURE CONTROL BECAME DISCONNECTED DURING THE FLT RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENG.
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: 1,442 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1,336 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y17 Acme MI
- Destination: Y17 Amce MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N115PK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI85LA305.