CHI78FA034

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28 · Mellen, WI · January 2, 1978

Accident · FatalClosed
Date
January 2, 1978
Place
Mellen, WI · MELLEN, WI
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N8215CPiper PA-28
Status
Completed · report January 10, 1980
Report
Brief approved by the director
FAA report
19780102042209A
Case key
142842

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

NTSB brief

NTSB’s brief of the accident, as it was printed: the coded facts, with the probable cause and factors.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4430   78/1/2  NR.MELLEN,WI          PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 51, 1454
        TIME - 1955                    N8215C              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 28 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SILVER BAY,MN               WAUPACA,WI
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          BLOWING SNOW                                             300
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           20                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 4/22/78.HEAVY SNOW STORM REPORTED IN AREA.

Aircraft

Registration
N8215C
Reported as
Piper PA-28
Category
Airplane
Engine
reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.