Piper PA 24 accident near West Bend, Wisconsin, September 26, 2015
On September 26, 2015 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA 24, registered N8583P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near West Bend, Wisconsin (West Bend Muni 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 his descent rate during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2015 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- West Bend, Wisconsin · West Bend Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 24 260, built 1965 · all PA 24s on the register
- Registration
- N8583P · registry record · serial 24-4040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that when he initiated the landing flare, his sight picture "looked correct"; however the airplane impacted the runway before he transitioned to a "horizontal" attitude. The pilot reported that the airplane landed hard, bounced, exited the runway to the left, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies existed with the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during after landing
- Landing gear collapse during after landing
- Runway excursion during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 738 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 738 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 24, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,239 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,201 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 954 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UES Waukesha WI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: ETB West Bend MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,994 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from ETB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.