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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Batesville, Indiana · Hillenbrand · 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 |
Other NTSB records under N73KA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI87LA210.