Amateur-built T-18 and Cessna 170A mid-air collision near Fisk, Wisconsin, July 30, 1990
On July 30, 1990 at about 1:47 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built T-18 (N66BR) and Cessna 170A (N1702D), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fisk, Wisconsin. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF THE THORP T-18'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SUFFICIENT VISUAL LOOKOUT TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE CESSNA 170A. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LIMITED VISIBILITY FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT IN THE THORP T-18.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF THE THORP T-18'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SUFFICIENT VISUAL LOOKOUT TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE CESSNA 170A. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LIMITED VISIBILITY FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT IN THE THORP T-18.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1990 · about 1:47 pm local time
- Place
- Fisk, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built T-18
- Registration
- N66BR · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1702D · no longer on the register · serial 20145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built T-18 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE INBOUND FOR LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,800 FEET MSL, THEY EXPERIENCED A MIDAIR COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, HOWEVER NEITHER PILOT NOR ANY PASSENGER REPORTED INJURIES. ONE AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO THE AIRPORT OF INTENDED LANDING. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE LOW WING AIRCRAFT OVERTOOK THE HIGH WING AIRCRAFT FROM BEHIND ON NEAR IDENTICAL HEADINGS. A WITNESS IN ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING THE HIGH WING AIRCRAFT INDICATED THAT THE LOW WING AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 170A final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE INBOUND FOR LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,800 FEET MSL, THEY EXPERIENCED A MIDAIR COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, HOWEVER NEITHER PILOT NOR ANY PASSENGER REPORTED INJURIES. ONE AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO THE AIRPORT OF INTENDED LANDING. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE LAW WING AIRCRAFT OVERTOOK THE HIGH WING AIRCRAFT FROM BEHIND ON NEAR IDENTICAL HEADINGS. A WITNESS IN ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING THE HIGH WING AIRCRAFT INDICATED THAT THE LOW WING AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION.
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 for the amateur-built T-18 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,908 hours in all; 765 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5,426 as pilot in command; 2,971 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 752 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1990; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JVL Janesville WI at 12:45 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:47 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 170A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1989; 159 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Cont C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55C Dodgeville WI at 1:15 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.