Amateur-built BD-4 accident near Danbury, Iowa, July 28, 1983
On July 28, 1983 at about 11:15 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-4, registered N412JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Iowa. 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1983 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Iowa · 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
- N412JS · registry record · serial 412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE HOME BUILT ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED & THE MAIN GEAR WERE DAMAGED DURING A LANDING ON ROLLING TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE MOUNTING BOLTS FOR A PROPELLER SPACER HAD FAILED. THE SPACER HAD BEEN INSTALLED BETWEEN THE ENGINE & THE PROPELLER TO OFFSET A CLEARANCE PROBLEM.
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: 1,600 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 402 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANW Ainsworth NE at 10:00 pm
- Destination: MIW Marshall Town IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from OMA, 65 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.