Beech B24R accident near Louisville, Kentucky, October 24, 1987
On October 24, 1987 at about 11:31 am local time, a Beech B24R, registered N6542R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was a personal 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
- October 24, 1987 · about 11:31 am 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 B24R · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6542R · no longer on the register · serial MC281
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG TKOF FM RWY 19, THE PLT TRANSMITTED 'WE HAVE A DOOR OPEN.' TWR PSNL CLRD HIM TO LND ON ANY RWY, BUT HE STATED AGAINTHAT A DOOR WAS OPEN. AGAIN, TWR PSNL CLRD HIM TO LND ON ANY RWY. NO OTR RADIO CALLS WERE RECD FM THE ACFT. SVRL PERSONSSAW THE ACFT AT LOW ALT BFR IT ENTERED A STEEP TURN TWD RWY 24. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT A TREETOP, CRASHED WITH THE FLAPS RETRACTED & CAME TO REST APRX 300 YDS FM THE THE RWY THRESHOLD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE UTILITY & LEFT CABIN DOORS WERE CLOSED DRG IMPACT. HOWEVER, THE RGT CABIN DOOR WAS FND WEDGED UNDER THE RGT WING WITH LITTLE DEFORMATION. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. TESTS SHOWED THE FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACFT WERE UNCHGD WITH AN OPEN DOOR; HOWEVER, THE FLT MANUAL RECOMMENDED USING SHALLOW BANK TURNS, CAUTIONED ABOUT POSSIBLE BUFFETING & A SLIGHT INCREASE IN DRAG, & WARNED NOT TO ALLOW THE AIRSPEED TO DROP BELOW THE RECOMMENDED SPEED.
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: 152 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 98 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,785 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1987; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOW
- Destination: AHN Athens GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,312 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:33 am from LOU, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.