Piper PA-11 accident near Minocqua, Wisconsin, May 17, 2003
On May 17, 2003 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N4711U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minocqua, Wisconsin (Lac Du Flambeau Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain a proper climb rate during takeoff. A factor to the accident was the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2003 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Minocqua, Wisconsin · Lac Du Flambeau Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N4711U · registry record · serial 11-130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage while attempting to takeoff from a lake. According to the pilot, while attempting to takeoff the airplane "failed to climb out of lake at end of cove." The pilot stated he "reduced power and turned to land in a bog/swamp." During the landing approach the left wing strut impacted a tree and the airplane landed hard on the floats. The pilot reported he had flown 5 hours in the same make and model as the accident aircraft, all of which were flown within 24 hours of the accident. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,518 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,091 as pilot in command; 410 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,988.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2003; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4P5 Minocqua WI at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 06B Lucky Landing ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:34 pm from KARV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.