WEBSTER, WI, USA
N9468V
MOONEY M20C
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.
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.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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