Beech A60 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, April 13, 1989
On April 13, 1989, a Beech A60, registered N4445W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis 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 PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND/OR DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY WILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT AND PILOT FATIGUE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1989
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A60 · all A60s on the register
- Registration
- N4445W · registry record · serial P245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON THE FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF APPROACH LIGHTS AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES. THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGED SEVENTEEN APPROACH LIGHTS ON A TOTAL OF FIVE SUPPORT STRUCTURES, BUT WAS SAFELY LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE RAMP. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXECUTED A NON-STANDARD APPROACH AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AIRSPEED, IN AN EFFORT TO ACCOMMODATE FASTER TRAFFIC BEHIND HIM ON THE APPROACH. HE SAID HIS NON-STABILIZED APPROACH RESULTED IN 'AN UNDETECTED INCREASE IN THE RATE OF DESCENT...' HE SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE END OF A FATIGUING DAY.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,120 hours in all; 2,248 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1988; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Ft. Wayne IN at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 10,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.