Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Wis. Rapids, Wisconsin, February 9, 1988
On February 9, 1988 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N3790T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wis. Rapids, Wisconsin (South Wood County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 9, 1988 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wis. Rapids, Wisconsin · South Wood County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3790T · no longer on the register · serial 30103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT INTO A SNOWBANK WHILE ROLLING OUT FROM A LANDING ON A SNOW AND ICE COVERED RUNWAY. LANDING WINDS AS REPORTED BY THE PILOT WERE FROM 60 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE NOSE AT 5 TO 8 KNOTS.
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: 292 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1987; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W122 Cornell WI at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N3790T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.