Beech D-17-S accident near Louisville, Kentucky, December 20, 1986
On December 20, 1986 at about 10:01 pm local time, a Beech D-17-S, registered N217SD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman 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 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
- December 20, 1986 · about 10:01 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-17-S · all D-17-Ss on the register
- Registration
- N217SD · registry record · serial 3098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A NORMAL LANDING ON RUNWAY 06 AT BOWMAN FIELD, THE ACFT NOSED OVER WHILE CLEARING THE RWY. THE PLT REPORTED APPLYING BRAKES AND RECALLED FEELING THE TAILWHEEL LIFT OFF THE GROUND. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT ANY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, AND THE INVESTIGATION ALSO FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MALFUNCTION.
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: 710 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1986; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:04 pm from LOU
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.
Other NTSB records under N217SD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.