Beech HA-1 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, October 9, 1987
On October 9, 1987 at about 3:15 am local time, a Beech HA-1, registered N9231, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. 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
- October 9, 1987 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech HA-1
- Registration
- N9231 · no longer on the register · serial 51039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER T/O PIC WAS TOLD BY TWR THAT TAIL STAND, USED TO PREVENT ACFT FROM TIPPING ON TAIL WHEN LOADED, WAS STILL ATTACHED TO ACFT. PIC REQ TEARDROP TURN BACK TO DEPARTURE RWY. APPROACH CONTROLLER STATED HE SAW MODE C INDICATION OF 700'. A/P ELEV. IS 332'. ACFT WAS RETURNING TO RWY 36R WHEN IT STALLED, RECOVERY WAS ATTEMPTED, AND ACFT IMPACTED GROUND PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF LEVEL OFF. ACFT WAS 379 LBS OVR MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT AND CG WAS AT LEAST 3' FWD OF THE LIMIT. NO RECORD OF LOAD MANIFEST WAS FOUND. PIC HAD LOW PIC EXPERIENCE AND RECEIVED 2.7 DOCUMENTED FLT HOURS WITH THE OPERATOR'S INSTRUCTOR PILOT INCLUDING HIS 135 COMPETENCY CHECK RIDE OF 1.1 HOURS. OPERATOR'S INITIAL TRAINING CERTIFICATION OF PIC SHOWED 5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TRAINING. ACFT WAS A MODIFIED BEECH TC-45J.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,913 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,702 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 20, 1987; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE 331-1-101 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CVG Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 8,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MEM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.