Aero Commander 100 accident near Mineral Point, Wisconsin, March 29, 1982
On March 29, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N5518M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mineral Point, Wisconsin (Iowa County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mineral Point, Wisconsin · Iowa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N5518M · registry record · serial 035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A LANDING ON RUNWAY 22 WITH THE WIND FROM 140 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING 22 KNOTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND WENT OFF OF THE RUNWAY. IT CONTINUED INTO A GULLY AND NOSED OVER. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A BOLT HAD FAILED WHERE THE RIGHT MAIN STRUT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE WAS FOUND.
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: 138 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 81 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,405 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 442 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wisconsin Rapid WI at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Savanna IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,010 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.