Cessna 152 accident near Pelican Lake, Wisconsin, December 26, 2005
On December 26, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6085M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pelican Lake, Wisconsin. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot selecting an unsuitable landing area. Factors were the snow and ice covered lake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pelican Lake, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6085M · registry record · serial 15284616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 42 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,930 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spring City Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: UES Waukesha WI at 4:00 pm
- Destination: RHI Rhinelander WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from RHI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.