History of Flight
On September 18, 2016, about 2031 central daylight time, a Cessna 182T airplane, N2012F, impacted terrain during a visual approach to the Ephraim-Gibraltar Airport (3D2), Ephraim, Wisconsin. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB), Green Bay, Wisconsin, at 2003 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. Earlier that day, the pilot had flown the passenger, a student pilot, from 3D2 to GRB for a lesson. On the return flight, the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan at 2023 during descent to 3D2. Air traffic control radar showed the airplane descend to about 150 ft above ground level (agl) while on an extended right base to runway 14. The airplane continued straight ahead, crossing the final approach course about 1,500 ft from the approach end, then made a left turn away from the runway. The left turn continued for 19 seconds at low altitude until radar contact was lost. The last radar return at 2030 placed the airplane about 3,800 ft northwest of the runway 14 threshold, heading away from the runway, at an altitude about 150 ft agl.
Two witnesses northeast of 3D2 reported seeing the airplane approach from the southwest. One witness described the airplane beginning a left turn that seemed sharp, like a U-turn, followed by a wiggle or odd movement. The airplane then straightened out and descended below the tree line; the witnesses heard crash sounds. No unusual engine noises were reported before the accident.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 69, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. On his most recent FAA medical certificate application (August 31, 2016), he reported 920 total flight hours, with 17.6 hours in the previous 6 months. He completed a flight review in the accident airplane on December 14, 2014. Pilot logbooks were not available. According to other pilots at 3D2, the pilot had mentioned plans to practice night patterns and landings on the evening before the accident because his night currency to carry passengers had expired. It could not be determined whether this flight occurred.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 18281769, was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on October 6, 2008. It was equipped with a Lycoming IO-540-1ABA5 engine (serial number L-31073-48E), a McCauley 3-bladed aluminum-hub propeller, and a Garmin G1000 integrated flight information system. The last annual inspection was completed on March 2, 2016, at a total airframe time of 3,122 flight hours. The last 100-hour inspection was completed on September 8, 2016, at a total airframe time of 3,426 flight hours.
Meteorological Information
At 2035, the weather observation station at 3D2 reported wind 190° at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 17°C, dew point 15°C, and altimeter setting 29.91 inches of mercury. Sunset occurred at 1853, end of civil twilight at 1922, and moonrise at 2015. At the accident time, the moon was about 2° above the horizon at an azimuth of 83°, with 93% of its visible disk illuminated.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane collided with 50-ft-tall trees about 3,500 ft northwest of the runway 14 threshold. The impact heading was about 112°, and the airplane came to rest inverted about 210 ft beyond the initial tree strike. A postcrash fire consumed the inboard sections of both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. Flight control continuity was established for ailerons, rudder, and elevators. The fuel system was compromised by fire, and the fuel selector was not located. One propeller blade was bent slightly forward and broken free from the hub; the other two blades were straight with minimal rotational signatures. Tree branches showed diagonal cuts consistent with a rotating propeller.
Engine examination at a recovery facility revealed significant fire damage to the accessory case and rusted gear train. The crankshaft rotated by hand, and drive train continuity was established. Thumb compression was present on all cylinders; cylinders 4 and 6 had low compression due to heat damage to valve springs and push rods. Borescope inspection of cylinders found no anomalies. All six fuel injector nozzles were clear. The propeller governor control was nearly full forward, and the propeller piston was forward with the spring extended, consistent with low propeller pitch. The magnetos could not be rotated due to fire damage. Sparkplugs appeared normal. No evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation was found.
An Appareo Stratus PRX V2 portable unit was recovered; its logging feature was off, and no historical data were recorded. The Garmin G1000 displays' memory cards were fire-damaged, and no data could be recovered.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot reported high blood pressure (controlled with lisinopril) and diabetes (controlled with metformin) on his most recent medical application; these medications are generally not impairing. He held a special issuance third class medical certificate valid for 12 months. Ophthalmology records from August 2014 through August 2016 indicated bilateral cataracts with mild to moderate nuclear sclerosis, but no diabetic retinopathy or vision-impairing pathology.
Autopsy of the pilot performed by the Dane County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as thermal injuries and inhalation of superheated gases. The heart was enlarged with 40% to 50% narrowing of the right coronary artery and 60% to 80% narrowing of the left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary arteries; no ischemic heart muscle damage was found. The autopsy was limited due to the extent of injury, and the brain was not examined. FAA toxicology testing on the pilot was negative for drugs, alcohol, and carbon monoxide.
The 16-year-old passenger was not required to hold a medical certificate. Her cause of death was also thermal injuries and inhalation of superheated gases, with no natural disease identified. Toxicology testing was negative for drugs, alcohol, and carbon monoxide.