Beech H35 accident near Baraboo, Wisconsin, July 28, 1992
On July 28, 1992 at about 3:41 am local time, a Beech H35, registered N7957D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baraboo, Wisconsin (Baraboo-Dell Muni airport). It was a personal 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
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS A PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1992 · about 3:41 am local time
- Place
- Baraboo, Wisconsin · Baraboo-Dell Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N7957D · no longer on the register · serial D5247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A NIGHT TAKEOFF WHEN THE COCKPIT ENTRANCE DOOR OPENED. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO STOP THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND FENCE POSTS. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND. THE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR WAS FOUND EMPTY OF FLUID. EVIDENCE OF LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE AIRFRAME AND LANDING GEAR LEG WAS NOT OBSERVED.
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: 156 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 1991; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C85 at 3:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from MSN, 30 miles away
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.
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.