Cessna 140 accident near Burlington, Wisconsin, May 9, 2008
On May 9, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N89307, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Burlington, Wisconsin (Burlington Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude at the time of the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Wisconsin · Burlington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N89307 · registry record · serial 8335
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that they departed about 1530 and flew to a second airport. They were conducting takeoffs and full stop landings on runway 01 (2,477 feet by 130 feet, turf) at the that airport at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that on the third takeoff, the engine failed after lift off. The airplane impacted a tree during the forced landing and subsequently came to rest inverted. The pilot informed a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that the engine began to run rough. He applied carburetor heat and the engine operation smoothed out momentarily, and then quit. The airplane was at an altitude of approximately 250 feet above ground level, in a left turn at the time. A post accident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a pre impact failure. The airplane had been inverted for several hours after the accident. As a result, the exact amount of fuel on-board at the time of the accident could not be established.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 27,765 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 25,921 as pilot in command; 8,869 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUU Burlington WI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PWK Chicago/Prospec IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,477 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 pm from BUU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CHI08CA127.