Piper PA-23-250 accident near Steuben, Wisconsin, December 12, 1995
On December 12, 1995, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N54791, was destroyed in an accident near Steuben, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to select alternate air. Darkness and snowy weather conditions were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1995
- Place
- Steuben, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N54791 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7554092
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A REAR SEAT PASSENGER, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING THROUGH HEAVY SNOW, WHEN BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AS THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND WAS DESTROYED, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE ON DECEMBER 13, 1995, ICE WAS FOUND IN THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM OF BOTH ENGINES. NO OTHER AIRPLANE OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK STATED THAT ALTERNATE AIR SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE FULL 'ON' POSITION PRIOR TO ENTERING KNOWN OR EXPECTED ICING CONDITIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,639 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1995; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUW Wausau WI at 9:40 pm
- Destination: TUL Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 am from DBQ, 55 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.