Amateur-built SNS-7 accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin, July 27, 1997
On July 27, 1997 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built SNS-7, registered N774HB, was destroyed in an accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin (Tomahawk Regional airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 encountered a tailplane stall. The factors involved were the pilot conducted a low altitude flight maneuver and encountered engine torque effect.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1997 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tomahawk, Wisconsin · Tomahawk Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SNS-7
- Registration
- N774HB · no longer on the register · serial 204
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the aerobatic routine, two snap rolls to the right were accomplished. At the end of the second roll, the pilot experienced a sharp roll to the left. After leveling out the pilot complained of no elevator control. Altitude could not be maintained and, with the engine at full power, the airplane impacted into trees. The postaccident examination shows no mechanical defects that could not be attributed to the loss of control. Engine and flight control continuity checks normal. Evidence shows engine was running at a high power setting consistent with the pilot's account.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,531 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1997; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T08
- Destination: T08
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from RHI, 16 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.