CHI03FA151

The airplane impacted the terrain following a loss of control on takeoff. There were no known eyewitnesses who saw the takeoff or accident. The person who dropped the pilot and passenger at the airport last saw the airplane as it began to taxi east on the ramp. Ear witnesses reporting hearing an engine go to "full power" followed by the sound of an impact. These ear witnesses reported horizontal visibility at the time was between 30 and 100 feet due to fog. The pilot called the automated weather observation (AWOS) at the departure airport and another airport prior to departure. The wreckage was located on airport property approximately 1,700 feet from the intersection of runways 13/21. Ground scars and the wreckage path leading to the main wreckage was on a heading of 264 degrees. Weather conditions at the departure airport recorded 4 minutes prior to the accident were temperature 8 degrees Celsius, dew point 8 degrees Celsius, visibility 1/4 mile with fog, and 100 feet indefinite ceiling. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. The Transport Canada Carburetor Icing Chart indicates that serious icing at any power setting was possible with the reported temperature and dewpoint spread.

History of flight

On June 7, 2003, at 2145 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N63319, operated by a private pilot was destroyed during impact with the terrain at the Sheboygan Municipal Airport (SBM), Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed for the planned flight from SBM to the Wausau Downtown Airport (AUW), Wausau, Wisconsin.

A certified flight instructor (CFI) at Wausau Flying Service stated he saw the pilot and passenger at AUW prior to their flight to SBM. He stated the pilot was assigned to take a different airplane, but during the preflight the pilot noted the landing light was not working. The CFI stated the pilot elected to wait until N63319 returned from a flight so he could take an airplane with an operable landing light. The CFI reported he fueled N63319 while the pilot was performing his preflight. The passenger stated to the flight instructor that they were going to motorcycle races in Sheboygan. The CFI stated N63319 departed AUW between 1545 and 1600. The CFI also stated that he flew N63319 on four of its last five flights, and there were no problems with the operation of the airplane during these flights.

The pilot's father-in-law stated he picked up the pilot and his passenger at SBM when they landed a little after 1700. He stated they went to dinner then to the races at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds. He stated the races ended about 2110 and they arrived back at the airport between 2125 and 2130.

The father-in-law stated that upon reaching SBM the pilot performed a preflight inspection on the airplane. He recalled the pilot checking the flight controls and commenting that the fuel tanks were pretty full. He stated the pilot started the airplane, the runway lights came on, and the airplane began to taxi to the east at which time he left the airport. He stated he did not see the airplane takeoff nor did he know which runway was used for takeoff.

The accident was reported to the Sheriff's Department at 2147. Members of the Sheriff's Department and the local fire department arrived at the airport at 2152. The Sheriff's report stated moderate to heavy fog conditions were present at the airport when they arrived. A thermal imager was used and the wreckage was located at 2234.

There were no known eyewitnesses to the accident, nor was anyone located who saw which runway the airplane used for takeoff.

The person who reported the accident to the Sheriff's Department reported he heard the airplane when he went outside around 2145. He stated he believed he saw the flashing lights from the airplane, but it was very foggy and he was unable to see the runway lights. He reported he heard "the engine rev very loud and then a very loud and solid sounding thud."

An individual, who is an aircraft mechanic, stated he was outside at his residence on the north side of the airport when the accident occurred. He reported hearing an aircraft engine go to "full power" followed by the sound of an impact. The witness stated he and a friend took flashlights and headed for the gate on the north side of the airport. He stated the fog was so thick that they were not able to see each other when standing 30 feet apart. The witness stated they were the first ones to locate the airplane and they were eventually able to get the attention of the fire department that was also searching the airport.

Two other individuals who live on the north side of the airport reported hearing a loud engine noise, then a noise which was described as a "car door slamming shut", followed by silence. They stated they went to their back door and looked out, and were not able to see more then 50 to 100 feet because of the fog. The accident site is located about 600 feet from their house and they were unable to see the airplane. They stated that later in the evening when the fire department had lights shining on the airplane, they were able to see the airplane for a short time before it was once again obscured by fog.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 32, received a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating on August 30, 1996. The last entry in the pilot's flight logbook is dated May 26, 2003. As of that date the pilot had accumulated a total of 150.2 flight hours. Of his total time, 123.5 hours were logged as pilot-in-command time, and 126.4 hours were flown in Cessna 172 aircraft. The pilot logged 3.8 hours of simulated instrument flight time. The logbook did not contain a record of any actual instrument flight time.

The pilot's logbook contained an endorsement that the pilot had "Pilot Proficiency Program - Wings 1satisfactorily completed the training requirements outlined in Advisory Circular 61-91H, paragraph 7a."

The pilot's last Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate was issued on July 20, 2000. On that date, the pilot was issued a third-class medical certificate with the limitation "Holder shall wear corrective lenses."

Aircraft information

The airplane was a Cessna 172P, s/n 17275421. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that at the time of the accident the airplane was registered to the Stick and Rudder Club in Waukegan, Illinois. A bill of sale showed that Wausau Flying Service purchased N63319 on April 24, 2003. FAA records indicated that on August 6, 2003, a registration certificate was issued showing Wausau Flying Service as the owner of the airplane.

Airframe logbook records show the airplane had an annual inspection on March 21, 2003, at a total airframe time of 7861.9 hours. The tach time was 1068.3 at the time of the inspection. The last maintenance recorded in the logbook was an oil and filter change on May 13, 2003, at a tach time of 1118.5 hours. The tach time at the time of the accident was 1149.2 hours.

N63319 was powered by a Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower engine. According to engine logbook records, the last annual inspection on the engine was performed on March 21, 2003. The engine had a total time in service of 7931.2 hours with a total time since overhaul of 1221.2 hours at the time of that inspection. There are no entries in the logbook since the annual inspection.

Meteorological information

A weather observation station, located at SBM, recorded the weather as:

Observation Time: 2125 cdt

Wind: 090 degrees at 3 knots

Visibility: 1 1/4 statute miles, mist

Sky Condition: 100 feet scattered

Temperature: 9 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: 8 degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.79

Observation Time: 2130 cdt

Wind: 060 degrees at 4 knots

Visibility: 3/4 statute mile, mist

Sky Condition: 100 feet broken

Temperature: 8 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: 8 degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.79 inches of mercury

Observation Time: 2141 cdt

Wind: 060 degrees at 4 knots

Visibility: 1/4 statute mile, fog

Sky Condition: 100 feet indefinite ceiling

Temperature: 8 degrees Celsius

Dew Point 8 degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.79 inches of Mercury

Observation Time: 2153 cdt

Wind: 070 degrees at 3 knots

Visibility: 1/4 statute mile, fog

Sky Condition: 100 feet indefinite ceiling

Temperature: 9 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: 9 degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.29 inches of Mercury

The pilot's father-in-law stated the pilot made a couple of cell phone calls to check the weather while they were on their way back to the airport. Cell phone records indicate the pilot called the automated surface observation system (ASOS) for Wausau, Wisconsin at 2221, the ASOS for Oshkosh, Wisconsin at 2122, and the ASOS for SBM at 2123. Each of these calls are listed as having lasted for one minute.

The flight crew of a Citation that was inbound to SBM shortly after the accident reported they were unable to receive the ASOS information over their aircraft radio. On June 9, 2003, a