Piper PA-28-236 accident near Thorp, Wisconsin, October 9, 1995
On October 9, 1995 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N9090X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thorp, Wisconsin (North Fork Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff and the premature liftoff which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors relating to this accident are improper planning and decision by the pilot, and the tall, wet grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1995 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Thorp, Wisconsin · North Fork Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N9090X · registry record · serial 2811001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GENERATING ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO FLY. PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT 'PULLED THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE OFF THE GROUND AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR.' HE LEVELED THE NOSE WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10-15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND BUT THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY ROLLED LEFT AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRFIELD WAS DESCRIBED AS A GRASS STRIP WITH A SIGNIFICANT UPSLOPE. THE GRASS WAS APPROXIMATELY A FOOT HIGH AND WET. NO GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR TAKEOFF ON WET OR UNPREPARED SURFACES. THE PA-28-236 TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL CHART FOR A DRY, PAVED RUNWAY, USING THE CONDITIONS EXISTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, INDICATES A TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL OF 1000 FEET.
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: 284 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1995; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,012 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3AD5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,700 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from EAU, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.