Piper PA22-150 accident near Sauk City, Wisconsin, August 8, 2002
On August 8, 2002 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA22-150, registered N8910D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sauk City, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to a seized exhaust valve. A related factor was the mowed hay field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2002 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Sauk City, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22-150 · all PA22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8910D · registry record · serial 22-6066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported experiencing a partial loss of engine power while in cruise flight. Efforts to correct the problem with carburetor heat, switching magnetos and altering the mixture were unsuccessful. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing in a newly mowed hay field. During the landing rollout, the airplane hit a fence at the edge of the field and was substantially damaged. Available field length was at least 1,500 feet. During an engine examination, the FAA inspector on-scene noted a lack of compression and a stuck exhaust valve on the forward/right cylinder.
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: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 1993
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2002; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C35 Reedsburg WI
- Destination: NONE Sauk City WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI02LA245.