Taylorcraft DCO-65 accident near Palmyra, Wisconsin, April 26, 1984
On April 26, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Taylorcraft DCO-65, registered N47583, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmyra, Wisconsin (Palmyra Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- April 26, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmyra, Wisconsin · Palmyra Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft DCO-65 · all DCO-65s on the register
- Registration
- N47583 · no longer on the register · serial 5422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT ON THE LANDING FLARE & COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE ACFT WAS BLOWN TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY & BEFORE HE COULD EXECUTE A GO-AROUND THE PROPELLER STRUCK SOME HIGH BRUSH ALONGSIDE THE RWY. THE PLT PULLED POWER OFF, LANDED IN ROUGH TERRAIN & THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE.
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: 312 hours in all; 297 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 1, 1983; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 02C Brookefield WI at 7:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,100 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MKE, 32 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.