Beechcraft 35-A33 Debonair, N1288Z, accident occurred on September 27, 2026, near East Troy Municipal Airport (57C), East Troy, Wisconsin

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this writing will be corrected when/if the NTSB preliminary report is released.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N1288Z

- History of Flight:
On September 27, 2026, at about 1333 local time, a privately-registered Beechcraft 35-A33 Debonair, N1288Z, sustained substantial damage in a forced landing south of East Troy Municipal Airport (57C), East Troy, Wisconsin. The pilot and three passengers survived with non-life-threatening injuries. The local flight originated from the airport at 1308.

The airplane was registered to a private pilot out of Waterford, Wisconsin. According to flight-tracking history, on September 18, 2026, the airplane departed 57C on a short 27m local flight. On September 25, at 1301, the airplane departed on a 18m flight to Poplar Grove Airport (C77), Illinois. At 1339, the airplane departed C77 on a flight to Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL), Janesville, Wisconsin. At 1407, the airplane returned to 57C. On September 27, at 1141 LT, the airplane departed on a ~40 minute local flight. The airplane was initially flying east then returned to the airport and conducted a touch-and-go on each runway before completing the flight. 

Figure 1: Initial flight from September 27

Figure 2: Reminder of first flight

At 1308, the airplane departed the airport and proceeded west before setting up for an approach and go-around (from the south) to the turf runway 36. The airplane completed the go-around, circled over Lake Beulah to set up on approach to runway 18. At 1332:35, the airplane passed over the runway at 800 ft and 94 knots (groundspeed) was then seen on a brief climb to 900 ft. At 1333:13, the airplane stopped the climb and had decelerated to about 69 knots (GS) before it descended straight ahead and landed in a field.

Figure 3: Accident Flight

Figure 4: Go-around from runway 18 and forced landing

A Cessna 208 Caravan, N40EA, registered to Eagle Air Transport Inc out of Ottawa City, Illinois, was doing parachute runs out of the airport and had just departed at 1309 when it spotted the accident and informed Milwaukee approach about it. The 208 pilot informed the controller that he wanted to drop skydivers to render aid, which he eventually did.

Figure 5: Caravan Track

The airplane came to rest upright (and presumably gearup) in an open farm field about 1 mile south of 57C. The wreckage consisted of the entire airplane. Both wings and tail remained attached to the airframe. The airplane was largely intact and there were no noted deformations to the fuselage. The right side front seat passenger door was opened normally. The impact sequence appears consistent with a controlled forced landing.

Figure 6: Wreckage Path

The high performance airplane, serial number CD-335, was manufactured in 1961. It was a 4-seat, low-wing, retractable landing gear airplane powered by a Continental IO-520-BB six-cylinder, air-cooled engine producing 285 horsepower that drove a three-bladed McCauley constant-speed propeller.

According to an old sale listing, the airplane had a total airframe time of 3844 hours and a total engine time of 943 hours. The listing mentioned: "TIP TANKS 15 GAL PER SIDE, MAINS 25GAL PER SIDE, AUX TANKS 10 PER SIDE. TOTAL 100 GALS OF FUEL!"

East Troy Municipal Airport is a public airport located 2 miles northeast of East Troy, Wisconsin. The airport field elevation is 860.4 ft. The airport features two runways, runway 8/26 asphalt 3900 x 75 ft and runway 18/36 turf 2446 x 75 ft.

At 1335, the airport was reporting winds 360 at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, no clouds, temperature °C, dewpoint 11 °C, and an altimeter setting of 30.12 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude was 1456 ft.

- Weather:

METAR K57C 271815Z AUTO 33003KT 10SM CLR 21/10 A3013 RMK AO2 T02060102 PWINO

METAR K57C 271835Z AUTO 36003KT 10SM CLR 20/11 A3012 RMK AO2 T02010107 PWINO

METAR K57C 271855Z AUTO 05003KT 10SM CLR 21/10 A3011 RMK AO2 T02070099 PWINO