Piper PA-34-200T accident near Woodruff, Wisconsin, May 28, 1983
On May 28, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N2164X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodruff, Wisconsin (Minocqua Woodruff airport). It was a personal 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Woodruff, Wisconsin · Minocqua Woodruff
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2164X · registry record · serial 34-7970182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS BRIEFED ON THE WX BEFORE DEPARTING WAUKEGAN, IL. AT THE DESTINATION, WOODRUFF, WI, THE WX WAS FORECASTED TO BE VFR, EXCEPT FOR LIGHT RAIN & THE CHANCE OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT CHECKED ON THE WX & SPOKE WITH ANOTHER PLT THAT HAD JUST FLOWN ALONG HER INTENDED ROUTE. THE DESTINATION ARPT REMAINED VFR AS FORECASTED. BEFORE ARRIVAL, THE ACFT ENTERED CLOUDS & PROCEEDED INTO AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE PLT REPORTED HER RADAR WAS PAINTING HEAVY CELLS OVER THE ARPT & IN ALL DIRECTIONS, THEN STARTED TO DIVERT. SHORTLY AFTER REVERSING COURSE, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT ADDED POWER & RAISED THE NOSE. SHE REPORTED 'WE WERE PULLED UP INTO A STALL.' AT THIS POINT, THE ACFT ENTERED A NEAR VERTICAL DIVE. DURING RECOVERY, THE LEFT WING HIT A TREE, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO FLY. BY THEN, THE ACFT WAS OUT OF THE CLOUDS & THE PLT FLEW TO THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION & LANDED. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT GEAR WAS 'SHUTTERING.' THE ACFT THEN BEGAN TO SKID, WENT OFF RWY & THE LEFT GEAR FAILED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 337 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 222 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 14, 1983; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from RHI, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.