Piper PA-38 accident near Madison, Wisconsin, November 5, 1997
On November 5, 1997, a Piper PA-38, registered N2536N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's (CFI's) inadequate supervision of the flight, and his failure to ensure that control of the airplane was maintained. Factors associated with the accident were: the CFI's improper use of flaps, and subsequent contact with the runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1997
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N2536N · no longer on the register · serial 38-079A0905
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor (CFI) had the student fly the airplane down the runway in ground effect with full flaps. The CFI then raised the flaps to the first notch, at which time, he became distracted. He reported that by the time his attention returned to the airplane, it had veered to the left side of the runway. According to the CFI, they were too slow to fly out of ground effect, so full power was added in an attempt to recover. The right wing then contacted a runway light off the left side of the runway.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 667 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 620 as pilot in command; 240 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wisconsin Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MSN
- Destination: MSN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 9,005 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.