CHI02LA070

The non-instrument rated pilot attempted flight into known instrument meteorological conditions. A witness reported that approximately 5 minutes after the accident airplane's departure, "... someone keyed their mike and we heard heavy breathing and cussing over the radio." The witness stated that shortly after the transmission, the accident airplane emerged from the overcast cloud layer and banked steeply prior to impacting the terrain. Weather around the time of the accident was 100 feet agl overcast with 3/4 statute mile visibility with mist. There was an AIRMET in effect for instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions including occasional ceilings below 1,000 feet agl and/or visibilities below 3 statute miles with light snow, light freezing drizzle, and mist. There was an AIRMET in effect for icing conditions, including occasional moderate rime/mixed/clear-icing while in clouds and/or precipitation below 6,000 feet agl. Prior to the accident flight a person representing the accident airplane contacted an Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and requested a visual flight rules (VFR) weather briefing. The AFSS weather briefer told the pilot that IFR weather conditions were forecasted at the departure airport. At the time of the post-accident examination of the wreckage there was approximately 0.125-inch of ice on the leading edges of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers and top-mounted communication antenna. There were trace amounts of ice located on the leading edge of the right wingtip. No anomalies were found with the airframe, engine, or propeller that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.

History of flight

On January 27, 2002, at 1247 central standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N4002B, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with the terrain at the Chandler Field Airport (AXN), Alexandria, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his single passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed AXN at approximately 1230 and had the intended destination of the Lenawee County Airport (ADG), Adrian, Michigan.

A witness to the accident, who was also a certified flight instructor, reported in a written statement that he conversed with the pilot of N4002B prior to the departure of the accident airplane. The witness stated he discussed the current weather conditions and asked if the accident pilot was instrument rated. The witness reported, "[The accident pilot] replied that he was not [instrument rated] but that he just needed to take the checkride." The witness stated, "I helped [the accident pilot] check the weather on the computer, [the accident pilot] was well aware of the prevailing conditions. I proceeded to tell him that he could not legally file a flight plan or fly in these conditions."

The witness reported that at approximately 1220 the accident airplane taxied from the ramp and proceeded to runway 31. The witness stated, "I made repeated calls over UNICOM to N4002B but got no response." The witness reported the accident airplane made a radio call indicating his intentions of taking off on runway 31. The witness stated, "After his radio call I made one last call over UNICOM and advised him to be aware of freezing fog and sleet that was falling at the time and wished them a safe trip." The witness reported that approximately five minutes after the departure of N4002B, "... someone keyed their mike and we heard heavy breathing and cussing over the radio." The witness stated, "Shortly thereafter [a co-worker] asked if I heard something, we both looked out the window to see [the accident aircraft] descend out of the clouds over the blue hangers across the runway. The aircraft was heading toward the [Fixed Base Operator] building, when the pilot saw the building he banked to the left rather steeply. [A co-worker] and I headed outside to see where the aircraft was going and about that time we heard a loud thump and the engine noise ceased."

Personnel information

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot was the holder of a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. According to FAA records, the pilot did not have an instrument rating. FAA records show the pilot's last medical examination was conducted on May 21, 1999, at which time the pilot was issued a third-class medical certificate with no restrictions or limitations.

According to the pilot's flight logbook, he had accumulated a total flight time of 166.8 hours when he was issued his private pilot certificate on March 4, 2001. The pilot had accumulated a total flight time of 239.0 hours as of his last logbook flight entry, dated October 28, 2001. According to the flight logbook, the pilot obtained a complex aircraft and a high-performance aircraft endorsement on March 25, 2001. The pilot had accumulated a total instrument time of 3.6 hours, all of which were completed in simulated instrument conditions during his private pilot training. According to the flight logbook, the pilot had not received any additional instrument flight training subsequent to the issuance of his private pilot certificate.

Aircraft information

The aircraft was a Bellanca 17-30A, Super Viking, serial number 75-30761. The Super Viking is a single-engine, low wing monoplane with an all-wood wing construction and a fabric covered steel-tube fuselage. The Super Viking is equipped with a retractable landing gear, constant speed three-bladed propeller, and can accommodate a pilot and three passengers. The FAA issued a Standard Airworthiness Certificate for the airplane on September 17, 1974. According to the aircraft's recording tachometer and maintenance logbooks, the airframe had accumulated a total time of 2,175.5 hours since new. According to the maintenance logbooks, the last annual inspection was completed on January 10, 2002, and the airplane had accumulated 0.5 hour since the inspection.

The engine was a 300 horsepower Continental IO-520-K, serial number 557157. According to the aircraft's recording tachometer and maintenance logbooks, the engine had accumulated a total time of 2,175.5 hours since new. According to the maintenance logbooks, the last annual inspection was completed on January 10, 2002, and the engine had accumulated 0.5 hour since the inspection. The engine had a top-overhaul completed on December 1, 1996, at 1,660.8 total hours, and had accumulated 514.7 hours since the overhaul.

The propeller was a three-bladed McCauley D3A32C90-M, hub serial number 737221. According to the aircraft's recording tachometer and maintenance logbooks, the propeller had accumulated a total time of 2,175.5 hours since new. The propeller had accumulated 1,175.5 hours since the last propeller overhaul.

Meteorological information

A weather observation station, located at the Chandler Field Airport, Alexandria, Minnesota, reported the weather around the time of the accident as:

Date: 01/27/2002

Time: 1207 cst

Wind: 310 degrees magnetic at 11 knots

Visibility: 3/4 statute miles with mist

Sky Condition: 300 feet above ground level (agl) Overcast

Temperature: -3 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: -4 degrees Celsius

Altimeter Setting: 29.78 inches-of-mercury

Date: 01/27/2002

Time: 1221 cst

Wind: 320 degrees magnetic at 11 knots

Visibility: 1/2 statute miles with freezing fog

Sky Condition: 300 feet agl Overcast

Temperature: -3 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: -4 degrees Celsius

Altimeter Setting: 29.78 inches-of-mercury

Date: 01/27/2002

Time: 1236 cst

Wind: 300 degrees magnetic at 13 knots

Visibility: 3/4 statute miles with mist

Sky Condition: 100 feet agl Overcast

Temperature: -4 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: -4 degrees Celsius

Altimeter Setting: 29.79 inches-of-mercury

Date: 01/27/2002

Time: 1253 cst

Wind: 310 degrees magnetic at 11 knots

Visibility: 3/4 statute miles with mist

Sky Condition: 100 feet agl Overcast

Temperature: -4 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: -4 degrees Celsius

Altimeter Setting: 29.78 inches-of-mercury

The weather conditions along the accident airplane's route of flight were forecasted as:

The Chicago area forecast (FA), issued at 0445 cst on January 27, 2002, indicated that the central portions of Minnesota had scattered to broken ceilings varying between 1,000 and 2,000 feet agl with the cloud tops at 6,000 feet agl. There were occasional visibilities of 3 to 6 statute miles due to mist. The outlook for central Minnesota was instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions due to low ceilings.

The northern portions of Minnesota was reported to have broken to overcast ceilings varying between 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet agl with the cloud tops at 6,000 feet agl. There were occasional visibilities of 3 to 5 statute miles due to mist. There were wildly scattered light snow showers and patchy areas of light freezing drizzle in the north-central and northern Minnesota. The outlook for northern Minnesota was marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions due to low ceilings.

An AIRMET for instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions was issued at 0845 cst on January 27, 2002, for occasional ceilings below 1,000 feet agl and/or visibilities below 3 statute miles with light snow, light freezing drizzle, and mist. The IFR conditions were forecasted to continue beyond 1500 cst.

An AIRMET for icing conditions was issued at 0845 cst on January 27, 2002, for occasional moderate