Beech 100 accident near Batesville, Indiana, September 8, 1987
On September 8, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech 100, registered N73KA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Batesville, Indiana (Hillenbrand airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Batesville, Indiana · Hillenbrand · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N73KA · registry record · serial B73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING HILLENBRAND AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED A THUNDERSTORM CELL MOVING IN ON THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXPEDITE INTO HILLENBRAND. DURING THE APPROACH THE LANDING GEAR WAS NEVER PLACED IN THE EXTENDED POSITION. THE PILOT THOUGHT HE PUT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN, BUT STATED HE WAS 'VERY BUSY' DURING THE APPROACH AND THAT HIS ATTENTION WAS 'FOCUSED' OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING PHASE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH ITS GEAR IN THE RETRACTED POSITION CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,728 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 2,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,108 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 10,600 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6A28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Preister Aviation Service
The flight
- Departed from: CVG Covington KY at 6:10 pm
- Destination: HLB Batesville IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from LUK, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N73KA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N73KA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft 100 14 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W PT-6A28 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Batesville Airport · nearest airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,702 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N73KA 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI87LA210.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.