Piper PA-22-150 accident near Solon Springs, Wisconsin, August 15, 1987
On August 15, 1987 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N5831D, was destroyed in an accident near Solon Springs, Wisconsin (Solon Springs Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1987 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Solon Springs, Wisconsin · Solon Springs Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5831D · no longer on the register · serial 224506
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SURVIVING PAX RPRTD THAT DRG INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG SUDDENLY STOPPED & DID NOT RESPOND TO ATMTS OF A RESTART. THE PLT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RWY. THE ACFT IMPACTED LARGE TREES IN A WOODED AREA, THEN CRASHED TO THE GND & BURNED APRX 1/2 MI FM THE ARPT. AN ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED THE CENTER CRANKSHAFT BEARING HAD SEIZED. THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE ENG CASE IN THE VCNTY OF THE BEARING'S OIL ACCESS PORT. ALSO, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT OIL HAD PARTIALLY BYPASSED THE BEARING & FLOWED INTO THE CASE. AN ACQUAINTANCE STATED THAT ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION, THE ENG SEIZED WHILE THE ACFT WAS BEING TAXIED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE PLT ADDED OIL TO THE ENG, ROTATED THE PROP, RESTARTED THE ENG, THEN FLEW THE ACFT FREQUENTLY, THEREAFTER. ACQUAINTANCES ALSO SAID THE PLT HAD OVERHAULED THE ENG IN MID 1986, ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT CERTIFIED AS A MECHANIC. ALSO, THE ACFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED IAW STC SA45RM; HOWEVER, NO RECORD WAS FND CONCERNING THE OVERHAUL OR MOD. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.07%.
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: 276 hours in all; 260 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3D9 at 10:55 pm
- Destination: Shell Lake WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.