Champion 7KCAB accident near Reedsburg, Wisconsin, February 12, 1983
On February 12, 1983 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N5277X, was destroyed in an accident near Reedsburg, Wisconsin (Reedsburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- February 12, 1983 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Reedsburg, Wisconsin · Reedsburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5277X · no longer on the register · serial 213
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED A QUONSET-TYPE BLDG WHILE APPARENTLY ON AN UNUSUAL TYPE APPROACH FOR LANDING. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THEACFT MAKE A LOW SOUTH TO NORTH PASS OVER THE RWY & THEN PULL UP INTO A LOOP THAT CULMINATED IN THE QUONSET IMPACT. ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING SOUTH TO NORTH AT AN ESTIMATED 100-150 FT. HE SAW THE ACFT DO A HALF ROLL & THEN START A STEEP DESCENT TOWARD THE GROUND. AT 1030, IT WAS REPORTED THAT A HIGH WING, FIXED GEAR ACFT, YELLOW & WHITEIN COLOR, SIMILAR TO THE CONFIGURATION & COLOR OF N5277X, WAS MAKING LOW PASSES OVER SOME ICE FISHERMEN ON A LAKE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNR Lonerock MI at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,990 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.