- Date
- July 4, 1982, 10:53 local (15:53 UTC)
- Place
- Black River Fal, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N56339Piper PA-28-200R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 4, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820704031539A
- Case key
- 69970
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that during flight, he encountered an engine problem and started to land on a road, but then the engine began to run better, so he continued to his destination. After landing, he discovered that a portion of the vertical stabilizer (about 18 inches) and a corresponding part of the rudder were missing. During an interview, the pilot denied being aware that the aircraft had struck any obstructions. An investigation revealed that an aircraft had been flying at treetop level above interstate highway 94 for an observed distance of 15 to 17 miles. Also, the missing pieces of the vertical stabilizer were found adjacent to the highway. Additionally, damage was found on two of three power lines that were nearby and about 90 ft AGL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56339
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-200R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7335414
- Airframe hours
- 1,350
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Anton Stiglmeier
- Registered owner
- Anton Stiglmeier
- Departed
- Wheeling, IL
- Destination
- Hayward, WI
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Temperature
- 167 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.