Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH C FRANK
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NATCO GROUP INC [NTG]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O NATCO GROUP INC., 11210 EQUITY DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
09/16/2009
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77041
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common stock 09/16/2009   X   4,011 A $ 8.06 27,645 (1) D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   X   2,662 A $ 11.43 30,307 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   1,300 D $ 45.46 29,007 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.41 28,907 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   900 D $ 45.39 28,007 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   400 D $ 45.34 27,607 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   200 D $ 45.26 27,407 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   300 D $ 45.2 27,107 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.38 27,007 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   1,200 D $ 45.36 25,807 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.35 25,707 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   500 D $ 45.33 25,207 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.31 25,107 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   300 D $ 45.29 24,807 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.27 24,707 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   200 D $ 45.24 24,507 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   600 D $ 45.12 23,907 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.44 23,807 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   100 D $ 45.45 23,707 D  
Common stock 09/16/2009   S   73 D $ 45.42 23,634 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock option (right to buy) $ 8.06 09/16/2009   X     4,011 09/09/2004(2) 09/09/2014 Common stock 4,011 $ 0 0 D  
Stock option (right to buy) $ 11.43 09/16/2009   X     2,662 06/13/2005(2) 06/13/2015 Common stock 2,662 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH C FRANK
C/O NATCO GROUP INC.
11210 EQUITY DRIVE
HOUSTON, TX 77041
      Executive Vice President  

Signatures

 Charles Frank Smith   09/18/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Direct ownership includes an aggregate of 3,157 shares purchased through a participant-directed defined contribution employee benefit plan and 11,920 shares of restricted stock subject to performance-based restrictions.
(2) Options vested in one-third increments on the first through third anniversaries of the date of grant. Date exercisable given is the date of the first such anniversary for such option. The number indicated represents all currently vested options in this grant.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.