Cessna 172 accident near Portage, Wisconsin, October 27, 1990
On October 27, 1990 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N738AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portage, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PIC BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTATED AND PERFORMED A PREMATURE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1990 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Portage, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N738AP · no longer on the register · serial 17269827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURRED. AFTER TRYING TO FIND A NEARBY AIRPORT, AND CIRCLING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, A PRECAUTIONARY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED, WITHOUT FLAPS OR LIGHTS DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ON A ROAD WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRPORT BEACON WAS INOPERABLE AND BRIGHTLY LIGHTED CONSTRUCTION ADJACENT THE AIRPORT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. LOOSE CONNECTIONS WERE FOUND ON THE BATTERY TERMINAL AND THE ALTERNATOR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 970 hours in all; 382 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 832 as pilot in command; 99 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Global Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C48 Sandwich IL at 9:35 pm
- Destination: AIG Antigo WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 310° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MSN, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.