Piper PA-32-260 accident near Watertown, Wisconsin, August 28, 1983
On August 28, 1983 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N9346C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watertown, Wisconsin (Watertown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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
- August 28, 1983 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Watertown, Wisconsin · Watertown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9346C · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL & THE ACFT STRUCK 3 LANDING LIGHTS. THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED & THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS LANDING LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE DURING THE LANDING AND LACK OF CENTERLINE REFERENCE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
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: 295 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Destination: RYV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from MKE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9346C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.