History of Flight
On January 30, 2009, at 2144 central standard time, a Cirrus SR20, registration N495LV, was destroyed during impact with terrain about 5 miles north of Menomonie, Wisconsin. The private pilot, two passengers, and a dog received fatal injuries. The flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Sheboygan County Memorial Airport (SBM), Sheboygan, Wisconsin, about 2005, en route to New Richmond Regional Airport (RNH), New Richmond, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the airplane was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.
The pilot had received a preflight weather briefing from the Lansing Automated Flight Service Station between 1641 and 1655, approximately 5 hours prior to the accident. He filed an IFR flight plan for the return trip, scheduled for departure at 2000. The weather briefer noted that the return flight might be more conducive to icing due to lowering cloud cover. The pilot acknowledged and said he would check weather before departure.
The pilot departed RNH about 1745 and arrived at SBM around 1930. Fuel receipts indicated 18.7 gallons were added at SBM. The airplane departed SBM about 2005 and was cleared to 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl). At 2109, the pilot requested and was cleared to 7,000 feet msl to get above clouds. At 2134, he requested and was cleared direct to TADPE, the initial approach fix for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 32 approach at RNH.
At 2137, the airplane was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet msl at pilot’s discretion. At 2138, air traffic control (ATC) advised that the transponder code was not being received and requested the pilot recycle the transponder. At 2141, ATC reported radar contact about 3 miles northeast of Menomonie Airport but no Mode C altitude reply. The pilot reported descending through 4,500 feet msl.
At 2142, ATC asked about icing. The pilot replied, “Five lima victor is not picking up any ice at this point.” ATC reported moderate icing between 3,000 and 4,000 feet msl about 30–40 miles north of Minneapolis. At 2143, the pilot acknowledged. No further transmissions were received. Radar data showed the airplane turning right; the last return was at 2144 approximately half a mile northwest of the accident site. The airplane impacted a field, traveled about 100 feet, and entered a tree-filled ravine.
Witnesses reported seeing aircraft lights moving at high speed, hearing a high-pitched engine at full power, and observing a fireball after the lights disappeared.
Personnel Information
The 51-year-old private pilot held single-engine land and sea ratings and an instrument rating. He held a third-class medical certificate issued January 30, 2009, with a limitation requiring glasses for near vision. His logbook showed 440 total flight hours. He began training in February 2005, received his private pilot certificate on June 5, 2006, and his sea rating on October 6, 2008. The instrument rating was issued December 20, 2008.
He completed 13.2 hours of Cirrus SR22 flight training from October 10–12, 2008, at UND Aerospace Factory Training Center in Duluth, Minnesota, in the “Cirrus Factory Transition Training – VFR” course. He flew an additional 45.6 hours in an SR22 from October 12 to December 31, 2008, and 22 hours in the accident airplane since January 1, 2009. He logged about 19 hours of actual instrument and 16 hours of night flight since November 25, 2008. The pilot had made two previous round trips from RNH to SBM in January, both at night.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-engine Cirrus SR20, serial number 1223, with a Continental IO-360-ES engine (210 horsepower). Manufactured in June 2002, it was originally registered N856CD. It was exported to Canada on February 23, 2007, with 236.7 hours total time, and reintroduced to the United States in fall 2008 with 576.2 hours. The pilot purchased it on November 3, 2008, and changed the registration to N495LV. The engine was overhauled on December 3, 2008, and reinstalled. The last annual inspection was December 18, 2008, at 576.2 hours. Total time at accident was about 611 hours.
The airplane had traditional analog flight instruments, an Avidyne FlightMax Multi-Function Display, a Sandel Horizontal Situation Indicator, Garmin GNS 430 and GNC 420 GPS radios, and a Stec System 30 autopilot. It was equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The Pilot Operating Handbook prohibited flight into known icing. The transponder was a Garmin GTX-327 with modes OFF, STBY, ON, and ALT.
Meteorological Information
The National Weather Service Weather Depiction Chart at 2200 placed the accident site bordering instrument flight rules conditions within MVFR. Menomonie Municipal Airport (LUM), 5 miles south, reported at 2115: wind 150° at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast ceiling at 1,100 feet agl, temperature -10°C, dew point -16°C, altimeter 29.99 inHg. Similar conditions were reported at 2135 and 2155. RNH, 29 miles west-northwest, reported at 2139: wind 200° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast at 900 feet agl, temperature -7°C, dew point -13°C, altimeter 29.99 inHg. Current Icing Product charts for 2100 and 2200 at 4,000 feet msl indicated greater than 80% probability of icing over eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin near St. Paul, and about 70% probability over the accident site. At 7,000 feet msl, probabilities were 30–50% along the route. The Area Forecast for western Wisconsin called for broken clouds at 3,000 feet agl, overcast at 5,000 feet with tops to 25,000 feet, visibility 3–5 miles in light snow and mist, with light freezing drizzle expected over northern portions.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck a frozen, snow-covered field at 44°57′36″N, 091°53′31″W. The initial impact site was about 8 feet long and 43 feet wide, with a cratered area 8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 18 inches deep. A debris field extended on a 330° magnetic heading for about 400 feet. The main wreckage was in a wooded ravine about 100 feet from the initial impact. The fuselage was largely destroyed. The left and right cabin doors were separated and fractured. The nose landing gear separated from the engine mount; main landing gear separated from the fuselage. The engine was at the bottom of the ravine; the three-bladed propeller separated and was found on the far slope. The instrument panel and radio stack were separated and crushed. The left and right front seats were found about 400 feet from the initial impact.
The CAPS parachute and components were found about 120 feet from the initial impact. The activation handle, with the safety pin still inserted and the “Remove Before Flight” tag attached, was found in the handle holder. The wing separated and was fragmented; the wing spar was in the ravine. The roll trim motor was in full left trim position. The pitch trim motor was between neutral and full pitch up. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were in the ravine; elevators separated from the horizontal stabilizer. The engine and accessories were examined; impact damage was extensive. No pre-impact anomalies were found. The propeller blades showed bending, gouging, and chordwise scratching.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on February 2, 2009, listed the cause of death as “massive physical trauma and disruption.” A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report by the FAA tested negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide. 11 mg/dL ethanol was detected in blood, determined to be from sources other than ingestion. 0.006 µg/ml diphenhydramine was detected in blood and liver.