Consolidated-Vultee 28-5ACF accident near Neilsville, Wisconsin, March 22, 1983
On March 22, 1983 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Consolidated-Vultee 28-5ACF, registered N4760C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Neilsville, Wisconsin. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1983 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Neilsville, Wisconsin
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Consolidated-Vultee 28-5ACF
- Registration
- N4760C · registry record · serial 2422202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRASH LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD AFTER IT HAD A POWER LOSS ON #1 ENGINE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A GEODETIC SURVEY FLIGHT WHICH CALLED FOR FLIGHT AT 500 FEET AGL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT ON ONE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS 4000 LBS. UNDER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FRONT MAIN ROD HAD FAILED ON THE #1 CYLINDER ON THE LEFT ENGINE.
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
- Flight time: 15,515 hours in all; 1,525 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 13,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,346 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 12, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 32,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-2600 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND
- Destination: AUW Wausaw WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from AUW, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI83LA150.