Piper PA-28-235 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, February 12, 1987
On February 12, 1987 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9451W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Field). 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
- February 12, 1987 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9451W · no longer on the register · serial 28-11170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AT APRX 1800 FEET 'THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT WITH NO RUNON OR SPUTTER' FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM RWY 18 AT OSHKOSH, WI. THE PLT STATED THAT HE BANKED THE ACFT BACK TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THE AILERON CONTROLS BECAME JAMMED OR 'FROZEN'. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE FLARED THE ACFT IN A LANDING CONFIGURATION AND THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE AND POSTS, AT WHICH TIME THE AILERON CONTROLS 'BROKE FREE.' THE ACFT CAME TO REST APRX 50 YARDS EAST OF THE TAXIWAY FOR RWY 18. AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS PERFORMED AND NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. NO RESTRICTIONS IN THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE DETECTED AND THE AUTOPILOT ROLL SERVO BENCH TESTED SATISFACTORILY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 593 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 506 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,065 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1986; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: G.A.A. Oil Company, INC.
The flight
- Destination: WI10 Westosha WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:05 am from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.