Piper PA-28-181 accident near Lyons, Wisconsin, September 11, 1995
On September 11, 1995 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3071H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lyons, Wisconsin (Wag Aero 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 lack of experience in the type of operation being conducted, the pilot not maintaining the proper airspeed while on final approach to landing, and a delayed decision to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1995 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lyons, Wisconsin · Wag Aero · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3071H · no longer on the register · serial 28-7990232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE PERFORMED A GO-AROUND DURING HIS FIRST LANDING APPROACH DUE TO BEING A '...LITTLE HIGH AND FAST... .' DURING THE SECOND LANDING APPROACH HE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED WAS 79 KIAS AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING AT 500 FPM WITH 40 DEGREES OF FLAPS EXTENDED. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE'S PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE FINAL APPRACH SPEED SHOULD HAVE BEEN 66 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED TWO TIMES AFTER TOUCHING DOWN. THE PILOT SAID HE DECIDED TO GO-AROUND BUT WAS TOO LATE IN HIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. HE SAID HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT NEGLECTED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDING WITH TREES AND A BERM BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT SAID HE NORMALLY DOES NOT FLY INTO SMALL AIRPORTS. HE SAID HE ALWAYS TRIES TO FLY INTO CONTROLLED AIRPORTS THAT ARE SERVED BY INSTRUMENT APPROACHES. THE RUNWAY THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON WAS 2,100 FEET LONG AND 50 FEET WIDE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 261 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: RLA WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 7:56 pm from MKE, 30 miles away
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.
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.