Piper PA-28-180F accident near Cable, Wisconsin, August 4, 1984
On August 4, 1984 at about 2:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180F, registered N3963R, was destroyed in an accident near Cable, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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 4, 1984 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Cable, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180F · all PA-28-180Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3963R · no longer on the register · serial 287105068
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & GROUND DURING IMC WX AT NIGHT. THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING AT 1731 HRS CDT BY PHONE FROM HIBBING FSS. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. NO OTHER WX BRIEFING FOR THIS FLT WAS RECORDED. WITNESSES AT THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE SAID THE WX WAS DETERIORATING AS THE PLT PREPARED TO LEAVE. HE SAID HE COULD POP THRUTHE LOW SCUD WITH NO PROBLEM. THE ARPT MGR CALLED HIM ON UNICOM WHEN SHE HEARD THE ENG START TO ASK HIM IF HE WAS LEAVING. HE SAID HE WAS BECAUSE THE WX WAS FORECAST TO WORSEN BY MORNING. HE DEPARTED AT ABOUT 2145 HRS EDT ON RWY 16. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES FOR 20-30 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF AND WAS SEEN MAKINGA SLIGHT TURN TO THE SW. THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THE ACFT WAS SEEN IN FLT. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT LOCATED FOR 30 DAYS. THE ARPT MGR LATER STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY AT THE ARPT THAT NIGHT WAS LIMITED TO 1500 FT DUE TO GROUND FOG. ANOTHER PLT TERMINATED HIS FLT DUE TO THE FOG AND SAID THAT THE AREA HAD BEEN ABOUT 50 PERCENT COVERED BY FOG.
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: 88 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,341 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1984; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3CU Cable WI at 2:42 am
- Destination: VPZ Valparaiso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from EAU, 80 miles away
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.