- Date
- September 17, 1994, 19:30 local (Sep 18, 1994, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2283QPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940917028069A
- Case key
- 9687
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command not maintaining a proper glidepath during his final approach to landing. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of recent experience in the type operation performed by the pilot.
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 was on final approach to land on a runway served by VASI, REIL, and high intensity runway edge lighting. He said he landed short of the runway threshold because his '... Landing approach [was] too low... .' The runway lighting systems were functioning on the night of the accident. The pilot had not had any night experience within the previous 90 days according to the pilot's accident report form.
Factual narrative
On September 17, 1994, at 1930 central daylight time, a Piper PA- 28, N2283Q, registered to the Badger Aero Club, Incorporated, of Madison, Wisconsin, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an off airport landing while on final approach to land on Runway 31 (5,846' X 150' dry asphalt) at the Dane County Regional Airport, Madison, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed Sturdevant, Wisconsin, at 1900 cdt.
The landing approach was made on a dark night according to information on the pilot's NTSB Form 6120.1/2. His written statement said his "...landing approach [was] too low.. ." The pilot said his airplane landed in a corn field about 200 yards short of the runway threshold.
Runway 31 had a visual approach slope indicator system and runway end identifier lights that were functioning on the night of the accident. The runway edge lighting is high intensity lighting. The intensity of the lighting is pilot controlled. The runway's lighting intensity was not revealed on the pilot's NTSB Form 6120.1/2.
According to the pilot, he had 13.6 hours of night flight experience. The pilot's NTSB Form 6120.1/2 did not show any night flight experience during 90 days before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2283Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28.7790391
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Badgerland Aero Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- C89 · Sturdevant, WI
- Airport
- MSN · Dane Co. Regional Airport, runway 31, 5,846 × 150 ft
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 460 total · 9 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSN, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.