Accident Beechcraft A60 N4445W, Wednesday 12 April 1989

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Date:	Wednesday 12 April 1989
Time:	21:00 LT
Type:	Beechcraft A60
Owner/operator:	Gilbert Davidson
Registration:	N4445W
MSN:	P245
Year of manufacture:	1973
Total airframe hrs:	1900 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming TSIO-541-E1C4
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Indianapolis, IN - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	Ft. Wayne, IN (KFWA)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
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.

Probable Cause: 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.

Accident investigation: