What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot departed Algona, IA (axa) with a passenger on a local VFR pleasure flight to mason city, IA (mcw) and return to axa. Prior to departure, he obtained a VFR wx briefing from the FOD fss. The forecast was for good VFR with a chance of IFR conditions in southern MN. Approximate 1 1/2 hours later he returned to axa in good VFR conditions. He deplaned the passenger and proceeded to give a ride to another passenger in the local axa area. He stated that he was on the ground about 5 minutes prior to the next departure. He taxied to the departure runway and the weather was still VFR. He could see lights of objects around the airport. After lift off at approximately 75 feet into the air, the aircraft entered unforecast IMC conditions. The pilot was not instrument rated and made a conscious decision to attempt to land straight ahead as he could still see runway lights below him. He reduced power and lowered the nose of the aircraft to attempt a landing. Without any visual references, the pilot was unable to perform the landing flare at the appropriate time. The aircraft hit the ground in a nose low, wings level attitude and flipped over. The IMC weather was not in the forecast obtained by the pilot prior to departure. According to the approved weather source located at the axa airport, the weather went from VFR conditions to low IFR in 2 minutes. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED ALGONA, IA (AXA) WITH A PASSENGER ON A LOCAL VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT TO MASON CITY, IA (MCW) AND RETURN TO AXA. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, HE OBTAINED A VFR WX BRIEFING FROM THE FOD FSS. THE FORECAST WAS FOR GOOD VFR WITH A CHANCE OF IFR CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN MN. APPROXIMATE 1 1/2 HOURS LATER HE RETURNED TO AXA IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. HE DEPLANED THE PASSENGER AND PROCEEDED TO GIVE A RIDE TO ANOTHER PASSENGER IN THE LOCAL AXA AREA. HE STATED THAT HE WAS ON THE GROUND ABOUT 5 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE NEXT DEPARTURE. HE TAXIED TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND THE WEATHER WAS STILL VFR. HE COULD SEE LIGHTS OF OBJECTS AROUND THE AIRPORT. AFTER LIFT OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET INTO THE AIR, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED UNFORECAST IMC CONDITIONS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD AS HE COULD STILL SEE RUNWAY LIGHTS BELOW HIM. HE REDUCED POWER AND LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO ATTEMPT A LANDING. WITHOUT ANY VISUAL REFERENCES, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE LANDING FLARE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE AND FLIPPED OVER. THE IMC WEATHER WAS NOT IN THE FORECAST OBTAINED BY THE PILOT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. ACCORDING TO THE APPROVED WEATHER SOURCE LOCATED AT THE AXA AIRPORT, THE WEATHER WENT FROM VFR CONDITIONS TO LOW IFR IN 2 MINUTES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.