Piper PA-23-250 accident near Osceola, Wisconsin, August 28, 1999
On August 28, 1999 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6592Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Osceola, Wisconsin (L. O. Simenstad Minicipal 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 improper preflight decision to attempt a takeoff with one engine inoperative.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1999 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Osceola, Wisconsin · L. O. Simenstad Minicipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6592Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-4389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said it took 2 hours to start the right engine, and during takeoff the right engine lost power. A witness saw the pilot and the airplane on the ramp before the accident. The witness stated that the pilot said the starter was inoperative for the right engine and it would not start the right engine. The witness saw the accident airplane going down runway 10 with the right engine not running. He had a clear view of the first 700 feet of runway 10 and that the right engine's propeller blades were 'stationary' at the '4 and 10 o'clock positions.' He said that the airplane's left engine 'revved' for takeoff and the airplane rolled down the runway. He said that the airplane moved to the right side of the runway during the takeoff roll, that he noticed the airplane's power was reduced, that the airplane was realigned with the runway's centerline, and that the left engine 'revved' up again. Examination of the accident scene revealed three trails were found in the terrain past the paved departure end of the runway leading up to a telephone switching box and a berm.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,250 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 1,030 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1998; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OEO WI at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 21D St Paul MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,862 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MSP, 34 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.