Cessna 172N accident near Madison, Wisconsin, March 26, 1988
On March 26, 1988 at about 5:30 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N73954, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Morey airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- March 26, 1988 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Morey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N73954 · no longer on the register · serial 17267762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON THE 40 FOOT WIDE RNWY IN A 10-12 KNOT X-WIND. HE STATED HE HAD LITTLE RNWY REFERENCE IN THE DARK NIGHT DUE TO A VERY FADED RNWY CENTERLINE. THE ACFT RAN OFF THE HARD SURFACE INTO THE MUD, RAN INTO A DEPRESSION IN THE SOIL AND NOSED DOWN.
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: 293 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 221 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 946 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C35 Reedsburg WI at 4:35 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,975 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 am from MSN, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.