Yakovlev YAK-3UA accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, August 1, 1996
On August 1, 1996 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Yakovlev YAK-3UA, registered N33UA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, and his inadequate in-flight planning and decision making. The pilot's failure to declare an emergency fuel condition (inadequate communication) was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1996 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Yakovlev YAK-3UA · all YAK-3UAs on the register
- Registration
- N33UA · no longer on the register · serial 170-406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he originally planned a direct flight at 11,500 feet, but had to descend to 1,500 feet to avoid weather for 10 to 15 minutes, then he climbed back to 11,500 feet. He said this accounted for his arrival in the vicinity of the destination airport with a low fuel level. When he contacted the control tower at the destination airport, he declared 'minimum fuel' but did not declare an emergency. There were approximately 20 other airplanes on the frequency. The pilot was cleared straight-in to the landing runway; however, the engine lost power, and the airplane was landed about three-quarters of a mile short of the intended runway. The pilot said that in order to avoid other aircraft during the approach, he slowed his airplane by lowering the flaps, which he said prevented him from reaching the runway. During a subsequent postaccident examination of the airplane, no mechanical anomaly was found.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,421 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison V-1710-63 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVS Tulsa OK at 6:45 pm
- Destination: FLD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:58 pm from FLD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.