Cessna 172N accident near Madison, Wisconsin, May 16, 1997
On May 16, 1997 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738LM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County Regional airport). 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions which resulted in a loss of directional control of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the gusty, crosswind conditions and the VASI lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1997 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738LM · registry record · serial 17270062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 18 when the accident occurred. He reported that when he checked the ATIS prior to landing the winds were being reported as 200 degrees at 14 knots. The airplane bounced during the landing and the pilot added power to recover. The airplane was blown to the left of the runway where it touched down again. The airplane continued to travel to the left. It went off the side of the runway and traveled through the grass eventually contacting the VASI lights. A local observation taken 20 minutes after the accident reported winds from 200 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
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: 378 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C32 Mineral Point WI at 5:30 pm
- Destination: MSN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 9,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from MSN
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.
Other NTSB records under N738LM 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.