Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, July 27, 1985
On July 27, 1985 at about 4:00 am local time, a Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P, registered N5604V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin (Fon Du Lac County 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 27, 1985 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin · Fon Du Lac County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P
- Registration
- N5604V · registry record · serial 859
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD ACCURUED APRX 12 HRS OF FLYING TIME ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING THE FINAL LANDING THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT THE RWY MID-POINT AND BOUNCED. THE ACFT THEN STRUCK A RWY LIGHT AND VEERED OFF THE RWY PAVED SURFACE INTO SOFT SOD. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND BUT THE SOFT SURFACE CAUSED SLOW ACCELERATION. SHORTLY AFTER BREAKING GROUND THE ACFT ATRUCK LOCALIZER ANTENNA POLES OFF THE END OF THE RWY AND FELL TO THE GROUND.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 570 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,492 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1984; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,425 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUX Sioux City IA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots, gusting 3
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 3:45 am from OSH
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.