Stinson 108-3 accident near Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, August 15, 1999
On August 15, 1999 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N4072C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Johnson Creek, Wisconsin (Illgen Airstrip 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1999 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Johnson Creek, Wisconsin · Illgen Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N4072C · registry record · serial 5072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a three-point landing between, '...rows of tall corn - approximately 10' high.' The pilot reported that during the landing rollout, he noticed the left wing contacting the corn. The pilot stated that he applied right rudder but the airplane continued to track within the rows of corn. The pilot reported that the airplane subsequently veered into the cornfield, nosed over, and came to rest in an inverted position. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-accident anomalies with the airplane and its control systems.
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: 1,629 hours in all; 995 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,821 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1999; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 88C Palmyra WI at 9:25 pm
- Destination: PVT WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,900 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from MSN, 25 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.