Amateur-built BD-4 accident near Baldwin City, Kansas, June 26, 1999
On June 26, 1999 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-4, registered N184BD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baldwin City, Kansas (Vinland Valley Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining directional control with the runway centerline during takeoff. A factor was the high vegetation off the left side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1999 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Baldwin City, Kansas · Vinland Valley Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-4
- Registration
- N184BD · no longer on the register · serial 184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he was taking off on runway 16 and was using the left side of the runway. He stated the airplane drifted further to the left side of the runway, exited the left side of the runway, and entered tall grass. He said the grass was three foot high. He said the left wing tip contacted the ground and the nose gear buckled. He stated the airplane skidded to a stop approximately 100 feet to the left of the runway. At 1454, the Lawrence Municipal Airport weather observation was: Wind 160 degrees at 8 knots.
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: 195 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 862 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1998; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K64 at 8:15 pm
- Destination: OWI Ottawa KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,220 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from LWC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.