Van's RV4 N544WM

Summary

On 29 January 2022 at about 19:40 local time, a Van's RV4 registered N544WM was involved in an accident near Hortonville, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 January 2022 at 19:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Hortonville, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Black Otter Lake (N/A)

Coordinates

44.3315, -88.6332

Aircraft

Van's RV4

Registration

N544WM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waupaca → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA112

Nobody was injured.

The loss of direction control while maneuvering off the plowed surface to avoid a collision with a vehicle.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While landing on a frozen lake, the pilot observed a van at the end of the plowed airstrip. The pilot did not know the driver’s intention and decided to steer the airplane off the plowed area into the snow to slow the airplane before getting close to the van. The right tire hit a frozen obstruction and the airplane turned right and nosed down. Substantial damage was sustained to an engine mount and the lower firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions that contributed to the accident. The pilot stated that he did not realize that the snow at the edge was so frozen and deep.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.