Beech BE-58 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, January 17, 1985
On January 17, 1985 at about 4:35 am local time, a Beech BE-58, registered N4098S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 17, 1985 · about 4:35 am local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-58
- Registration
- N4098S · no longer on the register · serial TH600
- 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
PLT DIVERTED DUE TO ICING/UNFAVORABLE WX AT DEST. PLT STATED THE WINDSHIELD ICED OVER DURING THE APCH AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY ARPT (THE ALTERNATE) AND HE FLARED HIGH RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,453 hours in all; 315 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 1,640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1984; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SBN South Bend IN at 3:30 am
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 am from LAF
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.
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.