An amateur-built aircraft accident near Watertown, Wisconsin, March 5, 1994
On March 5, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a an amateur-built aircraft, registered N754RG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watertown, Wisconsin (Watertown Municipal 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE ELEVATOR AND HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, Wisconsin · Watertown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- An amateur-built aircraft
- Registration
- N754RG · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING THE FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS HOME BUILT AIRPLANE. HE STATED THAT HE 'PULLED BACK TOO FAR ON THE STICK, APPARENTLY STALLING THE RIGHT WING...' ON THE INITIAL TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT WING FIRST THEN CARTWHEELED.
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: 225 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 4, 1993; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1641 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: RYV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from GRB, 85 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 CHI94DEP02.