- Date
- January 15, 1995, 18:34 local (Jan 16, 1995, 00:34 UTC)
- Place
- Brookfield, WI
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N39955Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950115000349A
- Case key
- 9821
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 instructor's failure to maintain clearance with trees. Factors associated with the accident were the trees and the night lighting conditions.
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
After returning from the local practice area on an instructional flight at night, the private pilot proceeded to perform three takeoffs and landings. The flight instructor accepted the private pilot's invitation to do the fourth approach and landing by taking full control of the airplane. The instructor stated all appeared normal including centerline tracking during the final approach. While the airplane was on short final, the left wing struck a tree. The instructor immediately applied full power. The left wing then struck a second tree and was separated from the airplane. The airplane impacted the ground in an inverted position. No preimpact mechanical or other anomalies were reported by either the instructor or the private pilot.
Factual narrative
On January 15, 1995, at 1834 central standard time, a Piper PA- 28-181, N39955, registered to Thunderbird Trans LTD, was destroyed when it stuck trees while on final approach to land at Capitol Airport, Brookfield, Wisconsin. The flight instructor, private pilot, and one passenger reported serious injuries. The local night 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight originated at 1745 and operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan.
After returning from the local practice area on the instructional flight, the private pilot proceeded to perform three takeoffs and landings at Capitol Airport. The flight instructor accepted the private pilot's invitation to do the fourth approach and landing by taking full control of the airplane. The instructor stated all appeared normal including centerline tracking during the final approach. While the airplane was on short final, the left wing struck a tree and the instructor immediately applied full power. The left wing impacted a second tree and was separated from the airplane. The airplane impacted the ground in an inverted position.
No preimpact mechanical or other anomalies were reported by either the instructor or the private pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39955
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7990022
- Airframe hours
- 4,038
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Eagle Aviation
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Trans Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 4, 1994 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- 02C
- Destination
- 02C
- Airport
- 02C · Capitol Airport, runway 30, 330 × 44 ft, asphalt
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,045 total · 212 in this make and model · 3,902 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 60° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N39955 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.