Piper PA-28-161 accident near Dodgeville, Wisconsin, July 26, 1986
On July 26, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N80510, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dodgeville, Wisconsin (Dodgeville 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 26, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dodgeville, Wisconsin · Dodgeville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N80510 · registry record · serial 288216090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HIS BRAKES FAILED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND OVER A 30 FOOT EMBANKMENT. DURING AN INSPECTION, THE BRAKES AND BRAKING SYSTEM WERE FOUND TO BE FREE OF ANY DEFECTS AND IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. ALSO, SKID MARKS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY SHOWED THAT THE BRAKES HAD WORKED WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED.
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: 116 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 75 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Sugar Grove IL at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,740 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LNR
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.