CHI03LA242

The unregistered two-place airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain. The non-instrument rated pilot was fatally injured. The accident pilot was told by his wife prior to the flight that the weather conditions at the destination were foggy. The accident pilot replied to his wife that he could see the tops of the trees "and he was going to fly low and follow the rail road tracks." The Sheriff's report stated the pilot's brother said that "it was too foggy to be flying. The only reason he was flying was to look for [the accident pilot,] his brother."

History of flight

On August 2, 2003, about 0630 central daylight time, an unregistered Teratorn two-place airplane, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain about three quarters of a mile west of the Elbow Lake Municipal Airport (Y63), near Elbow Lake, Minnesota. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Elbow Lake, Minnesota, about 0600, and was en route to Y63 at the time of the accident.

The Grant County Sheriff's report stated that prior to the flight the pilot's wife told the accident pilot that the weather conditions at Elbow Lake Airport were foggy. The report said that the accident pilot replied that he could see the tops of the trees "and he was going to fly low and follow the rail road tracks into Elbow Lake."

The Grant County Sheriff's report stated:

[The accident pilot's brother] told me that he had flown from Fergus Falls

to Elbow Lake this morning looking for his brother's plane which had

not arrived at the Elbow Lake Airport. ... [He] then called [his brother's

wife] and ... asked what direction [the accident pilot] was taking to get

to the airport. [She] said that he was following the train tracks east that

come from Wendell to Elbow Lake. [He] then flew over the railroad tracks

and followed them east to Elbow Lake and found his brother's plane in the

wheat field. ... [He] said that it was too foggy to be flying. The only reason

he was flying was to look for his brother.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating. His FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on December 26, 2002, with a limitation for corrective lenses. On his application for that flight physical, the pilot reported that he had accumulated 12 total flight hours. His pilot certificate was issued on April 23, 2003. On his application for that certificate, the pilot reported that he had accumulated 45.8 total flight hours of which 3 hours were listed as instrument flight time.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane was an unregistered Teratorn, two-place airplane. The original kit manufacturer is no longer in business. The airplane's original kit builder could not be confirmed. The accident airplane was a single-engine, high-wing airplane. Its engine was a 64-horsepower Rotax 532 engine, serial number 3488536. The engine was shipped from its manufacturer in April of 1985 to Teratorn Aircraft. The propeller was a three-bladed, 66-inch diameter, Warp Drive propeller. The propeller was shipped from its manufacturer on July 31, 1994.

Meteorological information

At 0555, the Fergus Falls Municipal Airport-Einar Mickelson Field (FFM), near Fergus Falls, Minnesota, about 15 miles and 330 degrees from the accident site, recorded weather was: Wind 340 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 1 1/4 statute miles; present weather mist; sky condition overcast 200 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.

At 0615, the FFM recorded weather was: Wind 330 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 3/4 of a statute mile; present weather mist; sky condition overcast 200 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.

At 0635, the FFM recorded weather was: Wind 350 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 1/4 of a statute mile; present weather fog; sky condition overcast 200 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.

At 0655, the FFM recorded weather was: Wind 350 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 3/4 of a statute mile; present weather mist; sky condition overcast 200 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter 29.95 inches of mercury.

Wreckage and impact information

The Grant County Sheriff's report stated:

The nose of the aircraft was pushed back to the left side and the plastic

door was in front of the aircraft about 15 feet. The motor appeared to

have pushed forward and snapped off two of three propellers. The

wings also had damage to the front of them. ...

There was a considerable amount of damage to the cockpit area of the

aircraft and it appeared that the aircraft had nose dived directly into the

ground, bounced back up into the air, and landed upright, approximately

10 yards away from an area where you could see the plane possibly hit.

Medical and pathological information

An autopsy was performed at the Department of Pathology, Lake Region Healthcare Corporation, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, on August 2, 2003.

The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute prepared a Final Forensic Toxicology Accident Report. The report was negative for the tests performed.

Additional information

The FAA was a party to the investigation.