Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisville, Kentucky 40205
Saturday, October 24, 1987 7:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 731
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LOUISVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40205
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWMAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LOU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 547
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 733 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 180
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1619
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34906
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6542R
NTSB Number ATL88FA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B24R
Aircraft Series Identifier B24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC281
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 25 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 2785
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RDG FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2617 WINDSOR FOREST DR.
Aircraft Owner City LOUISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40272
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL PULLEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BOW
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AHN
Destination City ATHENS
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4312
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --