Piper PA38-112 accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 24, 1989
On July 24, 1989 at about 10:09 pm local time, a Piper PA38-112, registered N9103A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Laurence J Timmerman airport). It was an instructional 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
STUDENT PILOT'S MISJUDGED AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE OPERATION. THESE RESULTED IN AN ABRUPT TOUCHDOWN, A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S COLLISION WITH THE VASI LIGHT STRUCTURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1989 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Laurence J Timmerman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA38-112 · all PA38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9103A · no longer on the register · serial 38-82A0087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN PREPARATION FOR STUDENT SOLO FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTEDLY FLARED TOO HIGH. THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAITED FOR THE STUDENT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THE STUDENT FAILED TO DO SO, AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY ABRUPTLY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND SKIDDED INTO A VASI LIGHT STRUCTURE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 25 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 660 as pilot in command; 270 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,499 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 9, 1989; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15L, 4,107 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N9103A 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.