History of Flight
On January 26, 2015, at 1044 central standard time, a Cessna 182L airplane, registration N3181R, collided with trees during an off-airport forced landing in Owen, Wisconsin. The certified flight instructor (CFI) suffered serious injuries, the student pilot received minor injuries, and the pilot-rated passenger in the rear seat was fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The student pilot had recently purchased the airplane, but it remained registered to the previous owner. The flight was operated as an instructional/personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 in instrument meteorological conditions on an IFR flight plan. The flight originated from Menominee-Marinette Twin County Airport (MNM) in Menominee, Michigan, at 0928, destined for Litchfield Municipal Airport (LJF) in Litchfield, Minnesota.
The student pilot had purchased the airplane in Indiana and intended to relocate it to Fairbanks, Alaska. The first leg was from Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) in Indiana to Wexford County Airport (CAD) in Cadillac, Michigan. The second leg was from CAD to MNM, where they stopped for fuel. The accident occurred on the third leg en route to LJF.
While en route at 8,000 ft msl, the pilot contacted Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The pilot requested a climb to 10,000 ft due to picking up rime ice, then asked to descend back to 8,000 ft, reporting significant ice. The pilot subsequently requested descents to 6,000 ft and then 4,000 ft, stating they were still building ice. The controller noted the airplane was at 3,500 ft and instructed to maintain 4,000 ft, to which the pilot replied they were unable. The controller provided weather for nearby airports and asked if the pilot wanted to change destination. The pilot said they were checking weather for Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The controller issued an altitude alert noting the minimum IFR altitude was 3,000 ft. The pilot reported staying at 2,500 ft where they had visual contact. Radar contact was lost, and the controller declared an emergency. The pilot stated they would divert to Eau Claire and were no longer picking up ice. The controller cleared them to Eau Claire and instructed to maintain 3,000 ft when possible. The pilot reported 4 hours of fuel remaining. No further contact was made; ARTCC lost radio communication at 1044, 41 miles east of Eau Claire.
The student pilot stated they planned to stay above the weather. He flew until conditions deteriorated, then the CFI took over. They began picking up ice at 8,000 ft, climbed to 10,000 ft, but continued to ice up, so they descended. They accumulated significant ice during descent and broke out of clouds at 2,000 ft. The student reported losing power and altitude while looking for a landing site. The CFI could see through a small area in the windshield. The student saw about an inch of ice on the wing. He said the airplane was running well before the accident.
The CFI reported obtaining a weather briefing and expecting to get above clouds. After about 30 minutes, clouds formed, they requested higher altitude, then began icing, so they descended. He was unable to maintain altitude and the airplane sank fast. Unable to reach the nearest airport due to ice-obscured windshield, he elected to land on a vacant road.
The airplane touched down on a snow-covered country road. The left wing contacted trees bordering the left side, and the airplane veered into trees, coming to rest.
Personnel Information
The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. His flight instructor certificate, issued April 23, 2014, included single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He also held an advanced ground instructor certificate. He was issued a first-class medical certificate on December 12, 2014. He reported 1,873 hours total flight time, including 65 hours in Cessna 182 airplanes and 935 hours of instruction given.
The student pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued November 5, 2014, and reported 33 hours total flight time, all in Cessna 182 airplanes.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a Cessna 182L, serial number 18258581, a single-engine, four-place design with fixed tricycle landing gear. It was powered by a 230-horsepower Continental Motors O-470-R engine, serial number 131931-5-R, and a two-blade McCauley constant-speed propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 1, 2015, at a total time of 3,121 hours. The engine was overhauled on October 4, 1982, and had 925.1 hours since major overhaul at the last annual inspection. The last maintenance was an oil change on January 23, 2015, at tachometer time 3,145.52 hours. The student pilot purchased the airplane on January 20, 2015.
The airplane was fueled with 15.51 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel prior to departing MNM. It was equipped with long-range tanks, and the student pilot reported the tanks were full on departure. Weight and balance calculations indicated the airplane was about 267 pounds over maximum gross weight at takeoff. The airplane was not equipped or certified for flight in icing conditions.
Meteorological Information
Weather at Marshfield Municipal Airport (MFI), 29 miles southeast, at 1054: wind 170° at 8 knots, 0.75 miles visibility, few clouds at 700 ft, overcast at 1,300 ft, temperature -7°C, dew point -9°C, altimeter 29.76 inHg, light snow and mist.
Three DUATS weather briefings were associated with the aircraft registration. The first was at 0433 for the flight from 05C to CAD. The second at 0726 for CAD to MNM. The third at 0859 for CAD to MNM again. No record of a briefing for the MNM to LJF route. AIRMET ZULU Update 2 for moderate icing below 15,000 ft was active for the accident location. The area forecast called for light snow and light freezing drizzle. Forecast and Current Icing Potential imagery indicated high probabilities of moderate icing, including potential supercooled large droplet (SLD), along the route between 4,000 and 10,000 ft. NASA Langley satellite analysis indicated potential for heavy icing and SLD near cloud tops (10,000-12,500 ft). A Center Weather Advisory issued at 0754 advised of moderate to severe icing in clouds between 4,000 and 11,000 ft moving southeast.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane touched down eastbound on a two-lane paved country road that was snow-covered. First visible tire tracks were near the left edge. The left wing contacted trees along the roadside; the wing tip was found near initial tree strikes. The airplane continued on the road, contacted more trees, then veered left and came to rest in a group of trees. The distance from first tire marks to main wreckage was about 300 ft.
Rime ice was visible on top and bottom wing surfaces. Pieces of concave ice, 1.5 to 7 inches long and 1.5 to 2 inches wide, were found around the site.
The cockpit area separated from the airframe at the rear door post. The aft fuselage was buckled 3 feet forward of the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. The empennage remained attached, wedged against a tree. Stabilizers, rudder, and elevator sustained impact damage but remained attached. The left wing sustained impact damage but remained attached; flap and aileron stayed attached. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, but from station 154 outward separated along with the main spar. The flap was separated; the aileron remained attached to the separated outboard section, which was found on the left side of the main wreckage. Aileron, rudder, and elevator control continuity was verified from cockpit to surfaces. The engine separated from the airframe and was found near the wreckage; examination revealed no preimpact anomalies.