Cessna 172P accident near Ladysmith, Wisconsin, June 13, 1992
On June 13, 1992 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52142, was destroyed in an accident near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THE ATTEMPTED ABORT OF THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ATTEMPT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1992 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ladysmith, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52142 · no longer on the register · serial 17274423
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BECAME LOST ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM ATC AND WAS GIVEN DIRECTIONS TO AN AIRPORT WHERE HE LANDED AND REFUELED. HE RESUMED HIS FLIGHT BUT BECAME LOST AGAIN. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AFTER DEPARTURE HE NOTED THE FUEL GAUGES ON THE AIRPLANE SHOWED EMPTY. HE ELECTED TO PERFORM AN OFF AIRPORT PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HE ABORTED THE LANDING AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AS HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB AWAY FROM THE FIELD. A WITNESS WHO ASSISTED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED HE SMELLED FUEL WHILE HE WAS AT THE SITE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE VERIFIED THE PRESENCE OF FUEL IN BOTH WING TANKS. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE AIRPLANE.
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
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,651 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 3, 1992; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A & M Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LSE Lacross WI at 4:54 pm
- Destination: Hayward WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from EAU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N52142 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.