Fairchild 24R-46A accident near Franklin, Wisconsin, July 11, 1982
On July 11, 1982 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Fairchild 24R-46A, registered N77697, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, Wisconsin (Rainbow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- July 11, 1982 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Wisconsin · Rainbow
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild 24R-46A · all 24R-46As on the register
- Registration
- N77697 · registry record · serial RO-20058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND REMAINED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. HE REPORTED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH, HE GOT TOO LOW; THEN ABOUT 200 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, HIS HEAD WIND WAS BLOCKED BY TREES THAT WERE ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AT ABOUT 8 FT AGL AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 150 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. SEVEN MILES NORTH AT THE NEAREST WEATHER STATION, THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 190 DEGREES AT 15, GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS.
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: 360 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440C-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y78 Franklin WI at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Y78 Franklin WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,125 ft by 32 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 165°F (74°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from MKE, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.