Piper PA-28-140 accident near Madison, Wisconsin, March 7, 1994
On March 7, 1994, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N2145T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane CO Regional-Truax 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH. THE DARK NIGHT WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1994
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane CO Regional-Truax · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N2145T · registry record · serial 28-7125544
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT STRAIGHT IN APPROACH THE AIRPLANE UNDERSHOT THE INTENDED LANDING RUNWAY AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ONE-QUARTER MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED THAT HE FELT HE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT IF HE HAD FLOWN A TRAFFIC PATTERN.
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: 170 hours in all; 115 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,846 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°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 N2145T 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.