Piper PA-28-181 accident near Stoughton, Wisconsin, July 13, 1985
On July 13, 1985 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N47677, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stoughton, Wisconsin (Matson Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 13, 1985 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stoughton, Wisconsin · Matson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N47677 · no longer on the register · serial 287890114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING FOLLOWING A NORMAL 70 KNOT FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ONE-THIRD OF THE WAY DOWN THE 2500 FT GRASS RUNWAY. A BOUNCE CARRIED THE AIRCRAFT TO A POINT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY WHERE THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A FULL STALL. THE PILOT COMMENCED BRAKING BUT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE INTO TREES AND A DITCH. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE LININGS WERE REPLACED TWICE SINCE 04-23-84. AN EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM ITSELF REVEALED NOTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE INADVERTENT BRAKE LOCKING, HOWEVER THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE GRASS RUNWAY SURFACE AS DRY BUT SLIPPERY.
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: 636 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 596 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1984; 116 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55C Dodgeville WI at 8:45 pm
- Destination: 2W16 Stoughton WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 84°F (29°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from MSN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.