Piper J-5A accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, June 23, 1995
On June 23, 1995 at about 1:10 am local time, a Piper J-5A, registered N40888, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wausau, Wisconsin (Wausau Downtown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of the clearance between the airplane and the fuel pumps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1995 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Wausau, Wisconsin · Wausau Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-5A · all J-5As on the register
- Registration
- N40888 · registry record · serial 5-1198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TAXIING THE AIRPLANE IN A CONGESTED AREA NEAR A REFUELING ISLAND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND WING STRUT COLLIDED WITH THE FUEL PUMPS ON THE ISLAND. THE RIGHT WING STRUTS WERE BENT AND THE RIGHT WING SPAR WAS CRACKED AT THE JURY STRUT ATTACH POINT.
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: 355 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A 75-9C8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N40888 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.