Amateur-built Antares MA-33 accident near Palmyra, Wisconsin, August 10, 2003
On August 10, 2003 at about 12:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Antares MA-33, registered N246AN, was destroyed in an accident near Palmyra, Wisconsin (Palmyra Municipal 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
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot misjudging the descent rate during the forced landing, which resulted in the airplane landing short of the desired landing area. A factor to the accident was the fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2003 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palmyra, Wisconsin · Palmyra Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Antares MA-33
- Registration
- N246AN · no longer on the register · serial NIC001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- 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 a fence during a forced landing, following a reported loss of engine power. The pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 1,000 feet above ground level, he increased engine power and then the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot stated he "misjudged the rate of descent and landed short of the pasture and hit a fence." An examination of the engine confirmed continuity throughout the engine. The electrical ignition system was functional and both carburetor bowls contained fuel. The propeller was removed and the engine was prepared for a test run. The engine started and ran at idle power without anomalies. A full throttle engine run was not performed, due to the lack of the propeller, however, the engine did respond to momentary throttle inputs.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 Mod 99 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57C East Troy WI at 12:20 pm
- Destination: 88C Palmyra WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,800 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BUU, 17 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.