Piper PA-38 accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, March 24, 1990
On March 24, 1990 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N2331C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wausau, Wisconsin (Wausau Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A HARD LANDING RESULTING FROM THE PILOT NOT TAKING TIMELY REMEDIAL WHEN A STALL WAS ENCOUNTERED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1990 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Wausau, Wisconsin · Wausau Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N2331C · no longer on the register · serial 79A0155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PILOT ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM WINONA, MINNESOTA TO WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, MADE APPROACH FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 30 AT WAUSAU. STALL WARNING HORN CAME ON WHEN HE FLARED OVER THE RUNWAY NUMBERS FOR LANDING. PILOT CONTINUED TO HOLD BACK PRESSURE ON THE CONTROLS. AT APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND MADE HARD LANDING SHEARING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
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: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,863 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONA Winona MN at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 4,399 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from AUW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N2331C 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.