Cessna 152 accident near Park Falls, Wisconsin, June 26, 1984
On June 26, 1984 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Park Falls, Wisconsin (Springstead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 26, 1984 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Park Falls, Wisconsin · Springstead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757DR · no longer on the register · serial 15279661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS PREFLT RUN-UP, EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. USING SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURES, HE ROTATED AT 40 KTS & REACHED AN ALT OF ABOUT 10 FT AGL. HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THE ACFT DID NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE TO THE BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB SPEED OF 54 KTS, SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT A SPARK COULD NOT BE OBTAINED FROM THE TOP SPARK PLUG IN THE #2 CYLINDER. ALSO, EXCESSIVE BUILD UP OF LEAD DEPOSITS WAS NOTED ON THE BOTTOM PLUGS. HOWEVER, THE PLT NOTED NO DECREASE IN POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 2958 FT. THE PLT REPORTED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 10 KTS. AT WAUSAU, WI, THE 1950 CDT WIND WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 5 KTS.
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: 220 hours in all; 166 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 179 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26,766 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Merrill WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.