Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clarinda, Iowa 51632
Sunday, February 19, 2012 13:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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 airplaneā€™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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Clarinda
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51632
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404220N
Event Location Longitude 0950259W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1315 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 57
Weather Observation Facility ID ICL
Elevation of weather observation facility 996
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31247
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ACE-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 5 2013 4:05PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N215BD
NTSB Number CEN12LA167
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CRAIN JAC A
Aircraft Model BD-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 215
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 49
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRAIN CONSTRUCTION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CLARINDA
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 51632-4599
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Jac A. Crain
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Clarinda
Operator State IA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 51632
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ICL
Departure City Clarinda
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1249
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ICL
Destination City Clarinda
Destination State IA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2013 10:28PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --