Cessna 172P accident near Hartford, Wisconsin, June 14, 1993
On June 14, 1993 at about 1:17 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55404, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartford, Wisconsin (Hartford Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1993 · about 1:17 am local time
- Place
- Hartford, Wisconsin · Hartford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55404 · registry record · serial 17275
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP, THE ENGINE'S POWER DROPPED OFF AND OIL SMOKE FILLED THE AIR. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A GRASS RUNWAY. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE EDGE OF THE GRASS STRIP AND CROSSED A SHALLOW DITCH, SEPARATING THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR FROM THE AIRPLANE. AN ENGINE TEAR DOWN REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER SPLIT IN HALF NEAR THE CENTER OF THE BARREL.
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: 548 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 486 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,617 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 1993; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Waukesha Flying Services,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: HXF
- Destination: MWC Milwaukee WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N55404 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.