- Date
- August 7, 1992, 15:46 local (20:46 UTC)
- Place
- Maple, WI
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1947NCessna 120
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920807029699A
- Case key
- 15306
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The non-instrument rated private pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The non-instrument rated private pilot contacted the approach control facility and declared '...mayday, mayday, mayday we are IMC accidental....' The pilot reported he was not qualified and the airplane was not equipped for flight in instrument conditions. ATC advised the pilot of the minimum safe altitude in the area, and attempted to guide the pilot to VFR conditions. One hour and three minutes after the initial radio contact, the pilot stated '...we're in trouble again....vne is exceeded.' No further intelligible communications were received from the pilot. The aircraft wreckage was scattered along a path 2,350 feet long, with the right wing panel located farthest from the main fuselage. Weather in northern Wisconsin was marginal VFR to IFR throughout the day of the accident. A witness reported obtaining a weather report for the pilot and reviewing it with him a few hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1947N
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12187
- Airframe hours
- 569
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Day, Daniel M. & Patrick K.
- Registered owner
- Day, Daniel M. & Patrick K.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- RCX · Ladysmith, WI
- Destination
- DLH · Duluth, MN
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 125 total · 85 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DLH, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.