N17985 - 1943 Beech D17S Aircraft Registration

N17985 is a 1943 Beech D17S, a single-engine reciprocating (piston) aircraft registered to Black Cat Aviation LLC in Indianapolis, IN. This aircraft holds a standard airworthiness certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on July 6, 1956. The registration certificate was issued on November 28, 2016. The registration is set to expire on November 30, 2029. Powered by a P&w R-985 SERIES engine producing 450 horsepower, N17985 is. The aircraft's Mode S transponder code is A13E2A (hex), used for ADS-B identification and flight tracking. The FAA registry record for N17985 was last updated on September 15, 2023. AviatorDB monitors aircraft positions through ADS-B surveillance data and updates records as new position data is received.

The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing revolutionized executive aviation as the first luxury business aircraft to combine speed, comfort, and innovative design in a single package. First flown on November 4, 1932, it was a negative-stagger biplane powered by radial engines ranging from 225 to 450 horsepower, accommodating up to five passengers in hand-crafted luxury cabins. With its distinctive configuration placing the lower wing forward of the upper wing, the Staggerwing achieved cruise speeds around 200 mph and a range of 1,000 miles. Beech Aircraft Corporation produced 785 examples between 1932 and 1949. AviatorDB tracks 18,376 Beech aircraft currently registered in the FAA database. The ICAO type designator for this aircraft model is BE17.

AviatorDB has found no NTSB accident or incident reports involving N17985. AviatorDB cross-references all FAA registration data with NTSB accident and incident reports, providing a comprehensive safety overview for every registered aircraft in the United States.