Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Webster, Wisconsin 54872
Sunday, August 12, 1990 1:43 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT WAS REPORTED MISSING APRX 4 DAYS AFTER HE HAD DEPARTED FOR MADELINE ISLAND. AN AIR SEARCH WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT. ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER, ON 11/17/90, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH IMPACT ANGLE AND AT A HIGH IMPACT SPEED. THE PILOT'S WIFE TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE 'LOVED TO GO TO MADELINE ISLAND AND DRINK.' WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS LAST SEEN IN A BAR AT 0100 CDT, AND THAT HE APPEARED TO BE QUITE INTOXICATED. THE PILOT ASKED SEVERAL PEOPLE FOR A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT, BUT NONE RECALLED SEEING HIM LEAVE THE BAR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT OBSERVED AT THE MADELINE ISLAND AIRPORT LATER THAT MORNING. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION AGAINST NIGHT FLYING DUE TO COLOR BLINDNESS AND REQUIRED CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR NEAR VISION. THERE WERE NO GLASSES LOCATED IN THE WRECKAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, THE PILOT'S ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT, AND HIS NIGHT FLYING RESTRICTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 143
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WEBSTER
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54872
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2070
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45471
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9468V
NTSB Number CHI90DER06
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 700059
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILBUR F. NEHRING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6389 POLANSKY RD.
Aircraft Owner City SIREN
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54872
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WI32
Departure City MADELINE ISLAND
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RZN
Destination City SIREN
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --