Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 53916
Friday, August 28, 1998 8:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was a positioning flight for the aircraft to receive an annual inspection. Weather en route was instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft crashed into a lake in uncontrolled flight. The pilot was not instrument rated. Inspection of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The continued flight into adverse weather conditions and aircraft control not maintained by the pilot-in-command. Contributing factors were the improper preflight planning/preparation and lack of certification by the pilot-in-command in addition to the weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BEAVER DAM
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53916
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 819 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID UNU
Elevation of weather observation facility 936
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1708
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1417
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2931Z
NTSB Number CHI98FA343
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6903
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 2085
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN PRACHEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address N4551 FOX RIVER DR
Aircraft Owner City PRINCETON
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54968
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City PRINCETON
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 88C
Destination City PALMYRA
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --