Beech 55 accident near Waupaca, Wisconsin, September 1, 2018
On September 1, 2018 at about 4:20 am local time, a Beech 55, registered N10DS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Waupaca, Wisconsin (Waupaca Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2018 · about 4:20 am local time
- Place
- Waupaca, Wisconsin · Waupaca Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55 95B55
- Registration
- N10DS · no longer on the register · serial TC-943
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed in his airplane to evade law enforcement officers and flew to an airport to refuel. Law enforcement was awaiting him at that airport, so he did not land and refuel the airplane. During approach to another airport, the airplane impacted a cornfield and the fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. No fuel was found in the airplane; thus, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during landing defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Miscellaneous › Intentional act › Criminal/illegal act › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Destination: PCZ Waupaca WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,899 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 am from KPCZ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 23, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Not Received | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Wcso Press Release | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Findings | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.