Lake LA-4 accident near Superior, Wisconsin, April 18, 1993
On April 18, 1993, a Lake LA-4, registered N7608L, was destroyed in an accident near Superior, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1993
- Place
- Superior, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N7608L · no longer on the register · serial 381
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WHEN THE PILOT DID NOT ARRIVE FOR WORK ON MONDAY, HE WAS REPORTED MISSING, AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REACHED THE DESTINATION. SIX DAYS AFTER THE FLIGHT LEFT DULUTH, THE BODY OF THE PASSENGER WAS FOUND BY A SEARCH PARTY ON THE SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR, EAST OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN. THE SEARCH WAS TERMINATED TWO DAYS LATER. AFTER ABOUT TWO MONTHS, THE BODY OF THE PILOT WAS ALSO FOUND WASHED UP ON THE LAKE SHORE, EAST OF SUPERIOR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT FOUND AND WAS PRESUMED TO BE IN LAKE SUPERIOR.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: DLH Duluth MN at 11:46 pm
- Destination: 3CU Cable WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DLH, 15 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.
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.