Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Stevens Point, Wisconsin, February 12, 1989
On February 12, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N16TP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stevens Point, Wisconsin (Stevens Point 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stevens Point, Wisconsin · Stevens Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N16TP · registry record · serial 28R-7837217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 'JUST AS THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED (THE RUNWAY) THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT AS IF THE LEFT BRAKE HAD LOCKED OR HAD BEEN PUSHED BY A STRONG LEFT CROSSWIND . . .' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE GEAR, THEN THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. WINDS AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WERE REPORTED TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 8 KNOTS. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO INDICATION OF A PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION. AN INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUSS ASSEMBLY INDICATED IT HAD FAILED IN OVERLOAD. NO PROGRESSIVE FAILURE WAS EVIDENT.
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: 1,045 hours in all; 945 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 985 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1988; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STE at 7:30 pm
- Destination: STE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,028 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from AUW, 23 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.
Other NTSB records under N16TP 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.