What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The instructor, student and two passengers departed waukesha, WI at 0550 CDT with a planned fuel stop at kciu, which was approximately a 2 hour 20 minute flight. The weather at the time of the accident included an overcast ceiling of 300 feet and 1.25NM visibility. The accident aircraft was cleared for the vor-a approach which required a circling maneuver. The pilot told toronto ARTCC that he planned to land on runway 27. The approach minimums for category a/b aircraft is 1260 feet (460 AGL) and 1 NM visibility for the selected approach. Several witnesses reported seeing the aircraft traveling eastbound approximately 150 to 200 feet AGL before steeply turning back westbound, toward the airport. The aircraft impacted the terrain nose first approximately 0.4 NM east of the runway 27 threshold.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE INSTRUCTOR, STUDENT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED WAUKESHA, WI AT 0550 CDT WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT KCIU, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY A 2 HOUR 20 MINUTE FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INCLUDED AN OVERCAST CEILING OF 300 FEET AND 1.25NM VISIBILITY. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH WHICH REQUIRED A CIRCLING MANEUVER. THE PILOT TOLD TORONTO ARTCC THAT HE PLANNED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27. THE APPROACH MINIMUMS FOR CATEGORY A/B AIRCRAFT IS 1260 FEET (460 AGL) AND 1 NM VISIBILITY FOR THE SELECTED APPROACH. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELING EASTBOUND APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200 FEET AGL BEFORE STEEPLY TURNING BACK WESTBOUND, TOWARD THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN NOSE FIRST APPROXIMATELY 0.4 NM EAST OF THE RUNWAY 27 THRESHOLD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.