Crandon Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Crandon, Wisconsin 54520
Sunday, May 28, 1989 13:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS LANDING, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED WIND THAT WAS SWIRLING BELOW TREETOP LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE LEFT WING TIP & DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. APRX 23 MI NORTHWEST AT RHINELANDER, WI, THE 1450 CDT WIND WAS FROM 230 DEG AT 10 KTS. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND AT CRANDON WAS FROM THE SOUTH AT 20 GUSTING 25 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL & SUBSEQUENT WINGTIP COLLISION WITH THE GROUND DURING THE LANDING. THE CROSSWIND AND TURBULENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CRANDON
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54520
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRANDON MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YSS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1646
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID RHI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1624
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 440
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1835
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38940
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4734L
NTSB Number CHI89LA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4060
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Feb 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 1960
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLENDENNING, GARY
Aircraft Owner Street Address N53 W34388 ROAD Q
Aircraft Owner City OKAUCHEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53069
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 UES
Departure City WAUKESHA
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1236
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code YSS
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --