North American F-51 and Commander 114B accident near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, July 28, 1993
On July 28, 1993 at about 11:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, North American F-51 (N6327T) and Commander 114B (N579CA), were involved in the same accident near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (Fond du Lac County airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command of the F51's diverted attention and failure to maintain a visual outlook.
the pilot-in-command of the F-51's diverted attention and failure to maintain a visual outlook.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1993 · about 11:40 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Fond du Lac, Wisconsin · Fond du Lac County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- North American F-51 · all F-51s on the register
- Registration
- N6327T · no longer on the register · serial 44-74417A
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Commander 114B
- Registration
- N579CA · registry record · serial 14579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the North American F-51 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING IN FROM LANDING THE PILOT OF THE F-51 WAS UNABLE TO MAKE NORMAL 'S' TURNS DUE TO AIRPLANES PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TAXIWAY. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT THE CONTROL TOWER HE CONTINUED TO TAXI FORWARD. A COMMANDER 114B WAS TAXIING IN FRONT OF THE F-51 AND WHILE THE PILOT OF THE F-51'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED INSIDE THE AIRPLANE THE F-51 OVERTOOK THE COMMANDER 114B AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF THE COMMANDER 114B.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Commander 114B final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING IN FROM LANDING THE PILOT OF THE F-51 WAS UNABLE TO MAKE NORMAL 'S' TURNS DUE TO AIRPLANES PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TAXIWAY. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT THE CONTROL TOWER HE CONTINUED TO TAXI FORWARD. THE COMMANDER 114B WAS TAXIING IN FRONT OF THE F-51 AND WHILE THE PILOT OF THE F- 51'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED INSIDE THE AIRPLANE THE F-51 OVERTOOK THE COMMANDER 114B AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF THE COMMANDER 114B.
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 for the North American F-51 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1993; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,006 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Merlin V-1650-9A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 61C Ft. Atkinson WI at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:40 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Commander 114B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,395 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 222 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 222 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-T4B526 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D97 So. St. Paul MN at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N6327T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6327T: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- North American F-51 54 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- N579CA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Merlin V-1650-9A · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-T4B526 4,222 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fond DU Lac County · nearest airport
- Fort Atkinson Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 228 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,164 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N6327T 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI93LA294.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.