Beech B35 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, April 4, 1982
On April 4, 1982 at about 1:26 pm local time, a Beech B35, registered N8854A, was destroyed in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 4, 1982 · about 1:26 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35 · all B35s on the register
- Registration
- N8854A · no longer on the register · serial D-2509
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON APPROACH DURING AN ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST DEPARTED AND WAS RETURNINGBECAUSE OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND ARCING OF WIRING IN THE SYSTEM. THE LOOSE WIRING AND WORN INSULATION WERE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF NEGLECT IN MAINTENANCE. THE CREW'S LACK OF PROPER EMERGENCYEVACUATION WAS RESULT OF NO ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES AND POOR JUDGEMENT REACTION. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT WAS STILL TURNING TO LAND WHEN AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND LEFT WING CONTACTED RUNWAY FIRST THEN THE NOSE. ALL LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND, SLID AND CAUGHT FIRE AS IT STOPPED SLIDING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,279 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Gruhl Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 8:24 am
- Destination: Dayton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,312 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:34 am from LOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.