Piper PA-22-150 accident near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, August 28, 1998
On August 28, 1998 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N2931Z, was destroyed in an accident near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The continued flight into adverse weather conditions and aircraft control not maintained by the pilot-in-command. Contributing factors were the improper preflight planning/preparation and lack of certification by the pilot-in-command in addition to the weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1998 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Beaver Dam, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2931Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-6903
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was a positioning flight for the aircraft to receive an annual inspection. Weather en route was instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft crashed into a lake in uncontrolled flight. The pilot was not instrument rated. Inspection of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with the aircraft.
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: 827 hours in all; 667 in this make and model; 773 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1997; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Princeton WI at 12:50 pm
- Destination: 88C Palmyra WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:19 pm from UNU, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.