History of Flight
On March 20, 2011, about 1827 central daylight time, a Cessna 150D, registration N4178U, impacted trees and terrain near Baraboo, Wisconsin. The airplane was operated by the student pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. No flight plan was filed, and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed from Lake in the Hills Airport (3CK), Illinois, around 1700, en route to Reedsburg Municipal Airport (C35), Wisconsin.
Radar track data showed the airplane on a VFR transponder code 1200, departing the Chicago area northwest. At 1718:57, the airplane was about 13 miles north-northwest of 3CK at 2,500 feet pressure altitude. It maintained a 322-degree course for about 37 miles, with altitude varying between 2,100 and 2,900 feet. Then it turned to 278 degrees for about 45 miles, with altitude between 1,700 and 2,700 feet, and then to 344 degrees for about 33 miles, altitude between 2,300 and 2,900 feet. The last radar segment showed a jagged flight path with course changes. The airplane turned right, completing 1.5 turns before the last radar return, which placed it 0.57 miles south of the accident site at 2,600 feet pressure altitude.
A hand-held Lowrance Airmap 600C GPS receiver was found at the accident site. Data was downloaded but did not include altitude, time, or speed. The GPS data ended about 3.5 miles from the accident site. The straight-line distance between 3CK and C35 is 108 nautical miles on a 317-degree bearing. C35 was about 9 nautical miles north-northwest of the accident site.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a student pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate issued June 8, 2010, with a limitation requiring glasses for near vision. The pilot did not hold an airplane single-engine land or instrument rating. The pilot's logbook showed 55 hours total flight experience, including 16.9 hours solo and 0.5 hours simulated instrument instruction, all in the accident airplane. No instructor endorsement was found for the cross-country flight from 3CK to C35. According to 14 CFR Part 61.93(b), a student pilot must obtain an endorsement for solo flights to other airports. Additionally, 14 CFR Part 61.89(a) prohibits a student pilot from carrying passengers or acting as pilot-in-command when visibility is less than 3 statute miles during daylight or 5 at night, or without visual reference to the surface.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1964 Cessna 150D, serial number 15060178, a single-engine, high-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, seating two. It was powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200A engine (serial number 2905-1-A). Maintenance records were not recovered.
Meteorological Information
At 1652, weather at DuPage Airport (DPA), about 18 nautical miles south of departure, reported wind 110° at 10 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 8,000 feet, temperature 9°C, dew point 4°C, altimeter 29.94 inHg, with lightning in the distance northeast. At 1715, at Baraboo Wisconsin Dells Airport (DLL), about 10 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, conditions were wind 150° at 12 knots, 4 statute miles visibility, mist, overcast at 700 feet, temperature 5°C, dew point 4°C, altimeter 29.88 inHg, with lightning from north through southeast. At 1835, at DLL, wind 170° at 5 knots, 2.5 statute miles visibility, drizzle, overcast at 700 feet, temperature 5°C, dew point 5°C, altimeter 29.89 inHg, with lightning distant east. Accident site elevation was 1,454 feet, about 471 feet higher than DLL. First responders reported dense fog hampering search.
Aids to Navigation
The airplane was equipped with a gyroscopic artificial horizon, directional gyroscope, turn coordinator, a TKM combined nav/com transceiver, and a hand-held Lowrance Airmap 600C GPS.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted a heavily wooded area about 10 nautical miles southwest of DLL. All major structural components were significantly damaged. The left wing separated at the root, with a 12-inch semi-circular dent consistent with tree impact. The right wing remained partially attached, with leading edge damage. The tail surfaces remained attached with dents. The fuselage aft of the cabin was twisted; the cabin and forward fuselage were fragmented. The engine separated and was found about 50 feet from the main wreckage, with propeller still attached showing chordwise scratching. Surrounding trees had cuts consistent with propeller impact. A secondary examination found no pre-impact engine anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy revealed extreme craniocerebral trauma, severe chest trauma, extreme hepatosplenic laceration, and severe limb trauma associated with the collision. Toxicological tests indicated Naproxen in the pilot's urine.