What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Arrived on scene at approximately 1700 just n-w a 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the approach end of runway 19 across the road from the ho chunk casino. Aircraft N8606P mms PA-24-260 had come to rest in the grass after passing through a row of trees to the north 100 yards from the crash site. Pilot was remove from the aircraft prior to my arrival and taken to the hospital with sever facial injuries. Damage to the aircraft consisted of both wing tips were sheered off going through the trees. Landing gear was extended prior to the accident nose gear had broken off and the right main gear had collapsed. Fuselage at the rear of the cabin on right side had split open, right horizontal stabilizer sustained some damage damage. Prop and engine motor mount also damaged along with part of the engine cowl torn away. Windshield was missing due to the extraction of the pilot by the fire department.
Check of the engine oil showed 3 quarts on board with the engine coming to rest at about a 30 degree angle to the right. Fuel on board showed minimal fuel on board but there was fuel leaking from the wings. Cargo on board was unloaded and weight. Aircraft had about 180LBS of cargo on board. ELT was deactivated by the sheriffs department. Pilots ipad and simm cards from instruments were confiscated at the ntsbs request. Aircraft was towed to the sauk county sheriff department impound yard.
PIC was operating N8606P on 7/16/2026 in IMC conditions. PIC was cleared for RNAV rwy 1 straight in approach, aircraft was unstabilized during final approach segment, when pilot identified runway was in sight, pilot perform an unauthorized circling maneuver to runway 19. Lost control of aircraft during circle maneuver, aircraft collided with a tree resulting in serious injury to pilot and substantial damage to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 JUST N-W A 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 19 ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE HO CHUNK CASINO. AIRCRAFT N8606P MMS PA-24-260 HAD COME TO REST IN THE GRASS AFTER PASSING THROUGH A ROW OF TREES TO THE NORTH 100 YARDS FROM THE CRASH SITE. PILOT WAS REMOVE FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVER FACIAL INJURIES. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT CONSISTED OF BOTH WING TIPS WERE SHEERED OFF GOING THROUGH THE TREES. LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT NOSE GEAR HAD BROKEN OFF AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR HAD COLLAPSED. FUSELAGE AT THE REAR OF THE CABIN ON RIGHT SIDE HAD SPLIT OPEN, RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE DAMAGE. PROP AND ENGINE MOTOR MOUNT ALSO DAMAGED ALONG WITH PART OF THE ENGINE COWL TORN AWAY. WINDSHIELD WAS MISSING DUE TO THE EXTRACTION OF THE PILOT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CHECK OF THE ENGINE OIL SHOWED 3 QUARTS ON BOARD WITH THE ENGINE COMING TO REST AT ABOUT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT. FUEL ON BOARD SHOWED MINIMAL FUEL ON BOARD BUT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE WINGS. CARGO ON BOARD WAS UNLOADED AND WEIGHT. AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 180LBS OF CARGO ON BOARD. ELT WAS DEACTIVATED BY THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT. PILOTS IPAD AND SIMM CARDS FROM INSTRUMENTS WERE CONFISCATED AT THE NTSBS REQUEST. AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO THE SAUK COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT IMPOUND YARD.
PIC WAS OPERATING N8606P ON 7/16/2026 IN IMC CONDITIONS. PIC WAS CLEARED FOR RNAV RWY 1 STRAIGHT IN APPROACH, AIRCRAFT WAS UNSTABILIZED DURING FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT, WHEN PILOT IDENTIFIED RUNWAY WAS IN SIGHT, PILOT PERFORM AN UNAUTHORIZED CIRCLING MANEUVER TO RUNWAY 19. LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT DURING CIRCLE MANEUVER, AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO PILOT AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8606P · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.