Amateur-built 235 accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, August 1, 1989
On August 1, 1989 at about 2:11 pm local time, a amateur-built 235, registered N385L, was destroyed in an accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin (Fond Du Lac County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ASSURE THAT ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WAS MAINTAINED DURING THE TURN TO FINAL APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1989 · about 2:11 pm local time
- Place
- Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin · Fond Du Lac County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 235
- Registration
- N385L · registry record · serial 001-85
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLD at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,560 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Observation at 6:56 pm from OSH, 15 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.