Piper PA-28-181 accident near Marshfield, Wisconsin, February 7, 1991
On February 7, 1991 at about 5:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N6205J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marshfield, Wisconsin (Marshfield Muni). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH ONTO SNOW COVERED TERRAIN BESIDE THE RUNWAY. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1991 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Marshfield, Wisconsin · Marshfield Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N6205J · registry record · serial 28-7690371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MISSED HIS FIRST (SDF) APPROACH & DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT, WHERE HE MISSED AN ILS APPROACH. EN ROUTE TO A 3RD AIRPORT, HE PASSED OVER HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION & OBTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPORT. HE STATED HE FLEW THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY TO CHECK VISIBILITY & NOTICED A CLOUD NEAR THE APPROACH END. HE ENTERED A DOWN WIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 34 & TURNED BASE APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY LENGTH. DURING A TIGHT TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE STALLED/SETTLED TO THE GROUND. IT SUBSEQUENTLY TOUCHED DOWN ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR, BELLY & PROP.
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: 296 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 226 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Services, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: AMW Ames IA at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from AUW, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N6205J 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.