Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pelican Lake, Wisconsin 54463
Monday, December 26, 2005 12:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane, piloted by a student pilot on a solo cross country instructional flight, sustained substantial damage on impact with the snow and ice on a frozen lake. The pilot stated, "While in route I made the decision to land on Pelican Lake located about 20 mi south of Rhinelander WI. ... Upon main gear touching down the gear was restricted and pulled the nose of the aircraft to the ground (ice) slid about 25 yards then settled back onto main gear." The pilot's safety recommendation stated, "This accident could have been prevented if I would have just stuck to my flight plan and [federal aviation regulations]. I realize that I made a very bad decision to land on the lake and have learned greatly from it."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot selecting an unsuitable landing area. Factors were the snow and ice covered lake.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Pelican Lake
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54463
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 453752N
Event Location Longitude 0892803W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RHI
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.78
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KRHI 261853Z 21005KT 10SM OVC017 00/M04 A2978 I
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19327
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2006 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Milwaukee, WI, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6085M
NTSB Number CHI06CA052
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15284616
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8930
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Safe Air Corp.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Waukesha
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53188
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Spring City Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Waukesha
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 53188
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code UES
Departure City WAUKESHA
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RHI
Destination City RHINELANDER
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2005 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --