History of Flight
On May 12, 2008, about 1700 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, registration N1813T, piloted by a private pilot, impacted terrain south of runway 12 (3,635 feet by 75 feet, dry, asphalt) at Stevens Point Municipal Airport (STE), near Stevens Point, Wisconsin. A post-impact fire occurred. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from STE and was destined for J. Douglas Bake Memorial Airport (OCQ), near Oconto, Wisconsin.
A refueling receipt indicated that the airplane was serviced with 27.4 gallons of "auto" fuel at OCQ on May 12, 2008, prior to its departure to STE.
A witness at the fixed base operator (FBO) at STE recalled the pilot and passenger checking the weather computer before departure. Another witness, flying on downwind for runway 12, heard a pilot announce a takeoff from runway 12 on the common traffic advisory frequency. No further transmissions were heard as the witness turned base. The witness saw smoke off the departure end of runway 12 and advised the FBO of a possible downed airplane. The witness flew over the area and observed the accident airplane with its center section "engulfed in fire."
Review of a video record from a ramp camera at STE showed an airplane departing runway 12 about 1659. About 1700, a plume of smoke was observed.
Personnel Information
The 56-year-old pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating. His most recent flight review was completed on July 27, 2007. The last recorded logbook entry was dated April 20, 2008, and the pilot had accumulated 278.2 hours of total flight time.
Medical records revealed a history of type II diabetes. The pilot had applied for a third-class medical certificate in November 2004, which was initially denied due to failure to provide requested information. He subsequently received a special issuance authorization in February 2006, with a restriction valid until November 30, 2006. Continued authorization was granted in May 2007, valid until March 31, 2008. The pilot was taking medications including pioglitazone, atorvastatin, exenatide, and glyburide. His most recent medical application in March 2007 noted good control of type II diabetes.
Aircraft Information
N1813T was a 1971 Piper PA-28-140, serial number 28-7125165, a single-engine, low-wing, four-place airplane with fixed tricycle landing gear. It was powered by a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-E2D engine, serial number L-21766-27A, and a fixed-pitch, two-bladed Sensenich 74DM6-0-58 propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on May 15, 2007, at which time the airframe had accumulated 3,185.35 total hours, and the engine 1,061.35 hours since major overhaul.
Meteorological Information
At 1655, the recorded weather at STE was: wind 180 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 17°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.91 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Stevens Point Municipal Airport (STE) elevation was 1,110 feet above mean sea level. It is an uncontrolled airport with two runways: 3/21 (6,028 by 120 feet) and 12/30 (3,635 by 75 feet), both asphalt. The common traffic advisory frequency was 122.7 MHz.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest about 250 yards south of the departure end of runway 12. The fuselage, empennage, and left wing were upright on about a 15-degree magnetic heading. The right wing was detached and inverted, with an aileron control cable intact between wing and fuselage. The fuselage and components showed fire damage consistent with a ground fire. A ground scar was found 60 feet from the fuselage center, with green glass-like media present. A depression matching the cowling shape was found 38 feet from the fuselage. The magnetic heading from scar and depression to the fuselage center was 270 degrees.
Control cable continuity was established, with breaks consistent with overload. The flap handle was near the first notch but not engaged. A cabin door latch was intact and locked. The propeller remained attached; one blade was bent rearward, the other undamaged. The engine crankshaft could be rotated, cylinders produced compression, and valve rockers operated. Carburetor and fuel pump showed no anomalies. Both magnetos were fire-damaged and produced no spark. The muffler baffles were intact. The fuel selector allowed air pressure through the right tank fitting but not the left. No pre-impact airframe or engine anomalies were detected.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Portage County Coroner performed an autopsy on the pilot. The FAA Forensic Toxicology Report detected pioglitazone in blood and urine. The cause of death was noted as "Massive Blunt Force Chest Trauma." The stomach contained partially digested food. An email from the coroner noted the pilot was a type II insulin-dependent diabetic with poor control, last seen in December 2007 and started on long-acting insulin.