Piper PA-34-220T accident near Madison, Wisconsin, October 8, 1992
On October 8, 1992 at about 4:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N228R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County Regional 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN IMPROPER FLARE. A FACTOR RELATED WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1992 · about 4:52 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N228R · registry record · serial 348233145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY FROM AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 3 FEET DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WITH THE NOSE GEAR FIRST, AND PORPOISED 3 OR 4 TIMES PRIOR TO THE PILOT REGAINING CONTROL. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE RESULTED FROM THE HARD LANDING. REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 130 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 21 KNOTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 1,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKE Milwaukee WI at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 5,846 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded at 900 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from MSN, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI93LA006.