Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fifield, WI
On August 4, 1995, a Piper PA-28-181 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fifield, WI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 4, 1995
- Place
- Fifield, WI
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.871°N, 90.419°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04179
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 4, 1995, at 0850 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N4484F, was destroyed when it impacted water during descent near Fifield, Wisconsin. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The personal, 14 CFR Part 91 flight originated in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, about 0730 with a planned destination of Park Falls, Wisconsin. Witnesses reported obscured skies and low visibility at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. One witness to the accident, a pilot who was standing outside on his deck near the water where the airplane impacted, reported that he heard the airplane "coming from the northeast, flying very low about 200 feet above the trees." He heard the airplane turn toward the south and described the noise as though the airplane did "several sharp turns, climbs, and dives." He heard "a very high rpm" and the engine sound immediately subsided as if the pilot had "cut power or blew the engine and hit at a very high speed." Another witness reported that he was fishing about 200 feet south of where the airplane impacted the water. He heard the airplane fly over and it sounded as if it was at a very low altitude. He did not initially see the airplane because "it was too foggy." The airplane flew to the north then turned to the southwest. He reported that the engine sound became "much louder as if he were going to land or something." The airplane approached from the west at an extremely low altitude. "The engines gave a loud whine and a loud pop and then the engines stopped." The airplane "broke through the fog a
Probable cause
the pilot's attempted visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control. A factor was the fog.
More accidents in WI
- Douglas DC-9-14, Sep 6, 1985
- Beech 200, Nov 16, 1987
- Piper PA-28-140, Feb 3, 1991
- Piper PA-32R-300, Aug 19, 1990
- Cessna 421C, Jul 1, 2017
Browse: Wisconsin · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
