Gulfstream AA-5A accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, August 4, 1984
On August 4, 1984 at about 2:20 am local time, a Gulfstream AA-5A, registered N26883, was destroyed in an accident near Wausau, Wisconsin (Wausau Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Wausau, Wisconsin · Wausau Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream AA-5A
- Registration
- N26883 · no longer on the register · serial AA50785
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A X-COUNTRY FLT AT 4500 FT, ENG BEGAN SPUTTERING. PLT ADUSTED THE MIX; THEN APPLIED CARB HEAT, BUT RPRTDLY FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME. ENG CONTD OPERG, BUT AT REDUCED PWR. ACFT LOST ALT & DSCNDD INTO CLDS, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LVL AT APRX500' AGL. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT, CALLED WAUSAU (AUW) FSS, DECLARED AN EMERG & RQSTD ASSIST. FSS HAD NO DF EQUIP. THE ACFTWAS TOO LOW FOR RADAR ID & ITS ADF WAS INOP. PLT WAS UNSURE OF HIS PSN, SO THE FSS SPECIALIST (FSSS) TRIED TO ASSIST BY USING VOR ORIENTATION PROCEDURES. AFTER THE PLT TUNED IN THE STEVENS PT (STE) VOR & RPRTD HDG 10 DEG (PRESUMABLY TO THE VOR), THE FSSS ERRONEOUSLY TOLD HIM HE WAS BTN STE & AUW, WHEN ACTUALLY, HE WAS SOUTH OF BOTH VOR'S & CLOSE TO THE STE ARPT. THE FSSS TOLD THE PLT TO FLY TO AUW VOR (N OF STE). AFTER THE ACFT PASSED NORTH OF STE, THE FSSS ID'D ITS PSN NR ALAKE JUST SOUTH OF AUW & TOLD THE PLT TO CONT TO THE VOR. MOMENTS BFR RDO CONTACT WAS LOST, THE PLT RPRTD 011 DEG TO THEVOR STN. THE ACFT HIT TREES NR MTN TOP APRX 7 MI NW OF THE VOR. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PRBLM FND. CARB ICE COND RPRTD.
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: 80 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E26 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 1:00 am
- Destination: FCM Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 151°F (66°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:25 am from AUW, 3 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.