Taylorcraft F19 accident near Lakewood, Wisconsin, August 4, 2003
On August 4, 2003 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft F19, registered N3575T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakewood, Wisconsin. 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper use of the fuel system. A related factor was the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2003 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakewood, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft F19
- Registration
- N3575T · no longer on the register · serial F-041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during an emergency landing following a reported loss of engine power in cruise flight. The pilot stated that he "mistakenly turned fuel shut off valve instead of tank valve. After noticing main tank was not filling, [he] realized the wrong valve was turned and immediately corrected action. Pilot turned correct valve and seconds later the engine quit."
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 103 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 18, 2002
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 913 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2003; 3.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PVT Private MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from AIG, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N3575T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.