NTSB NYC92LA137 — 1992-08-01 · LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, United States

N983DB has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (BEECH B36TC, built 2000), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N983DB DONALD L. BETCHAN KR-II Minor

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER, AND THE FAILURE OF THE OWNER/OPERATOR TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRPLANE FOR THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER, AND THE LACK OF A RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR THE PASSENGER.

Factual narrative

THE OWNER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT ALLOWED A PROSPECTIVE BUYER SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT TO MAKE THE TAKEOFF. AFTER GETTING AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP TO A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE, FALL OFF ON A WING AND THEN STRIKE THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER HAD NO PREVIOUS TIME IN THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH 150 HOURS TOTAL TIME. THE OWNER/OPERATOR HAS LESS THAN 100 HOURS TOTAL TIME AND WAS UNRESTRAINED IN THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH ONLY ONE SET OF SEAT BELTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_NYC92LA137.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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