N7199M

On July 23, 1998, at 1445 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 175, N7199M, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with the water following an uncontrolled descent shortly after takeoff from Lake Michigan, next to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries. A second passenger reported minor injuries. The flight departed Sheboygan, Wisconsin, about 1440 cdt.

According to the front seat passenger with minor injuries, N7199M's engine "...hesitated slightly..." when the pilot "...throttled up the engine... ." He said, "We began climbing and turning to the left... ." The passenger said it was turbulent and he felt the airplane drop to about 30 or 40-feet above the sailboat masts they were flying over. The passenger reported that the pilot was pumping the throttle and had extended the flaps shortly before the accident. He said, "The plane was still banking left and facing East to Northeast...when the nose dropped and we hit the water." The passenger thought the left wing tip struck the water. The pilot's sister said N7199M's pilot had "...difficulty getting [the engine] started..." for the flight before the accident flight. She said the pilot told her that was "...normal." Concerning the accident flight, the pilot's sister said the pilot started the engine "...and took off and crashed."

According to the Sheboygan Wisconsin, Police Department Incident Report, one witness said the airplane was "...not gaining enough airspeed to gain enough altitude to safely proceed through the city." The report continues by saying the witness said the "...engine appeared to be stalling and he thought it had stopped. The engine again restarted with the nose slightly elevating... ." This witness said the airplane was on a southeast heading and it "...again appeared to bank to the left and eventually dropped into the water." Another witness reported hearing the engine "...appear to die down when the pilot then revved the engine... ." This witness said the airplane was headed southeast when the engine "...revved one last time... and eventually [dropped] into the water." Two other witnesses reported similar circumstances. The airplane was floating inverted on the lake. There was no fuel or oil slick reported by witnesses and police. The police report is appended to this report.

The pilot said he had flown from Shawano, Wisconsin, to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, landing about 1000 cdt. He said he made a 15-minute flight about 1330 cdt and returned to pick up other passengers. The pilot said the engine "...runup was normal..." before the accident flight. He said, "Just after takeoff the engine coughed and sputtered. I thought maybe some water got into the air intake." The pilot said the airplane didn t get much higher than 75-feet above the water. Shortly after the accident flight's takeoff, the pilot said the engine sound was irregular and it felt as though it wasn't developing full power. He said he banked the airplane to the left and lost control of the airplane. He said the airplane struck the water with its left wing tip and eventually ended up upside down in the water.

The engine was test run on August 27, 1998. The Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector said that before the engine would start the carburetor's accelerator pump was pumped until fuel pushed water out of the carburetor float bowl. According to those conducting the test, there were no anomalies with the engine that would prevent the development of power.