Piper PA-28-160 accident near Burlington, Wisconsin, August 1, 2000
On August 1, 2000 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5293W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Wisconsin (Burlington Municipal Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the fence during the forced landing attempt. Factors relating to the accident were the pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision to turn back toward the runway during the forced landing attempt, the airport fence, and the corn crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2000 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Wisconsin · Burlington Municipal Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5293W · no longer on the register · serial 344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he had gotten airborne and was approximately 300 feet above the ground when "the aircraft engine had a sudden loss of power. I was already in a slight right hand turn, so I sharpened the turn, in an attempt to return to the runway. The attempt failed." An examination of the fuel system showed negligible fuel in the left main tank. The right main tank showed approximately 10 gallons of fuel. The fuel selector was on the right tank. Fuel was observed in the gascolator. During a post- crash examination, the engine was started and ran at idle power. Examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 656 hours in all; 554 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 623 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2000; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: WI89 Lake Geneva WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 162°F (72°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from ENW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.