NTSB Factual Report

On June 10, 2018, about 1200 central daylight time, a Cessna T182T airplane, N1880B, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain about 3/4 mile north of the Monroe Municipal Airport (EFT), Monroe, Wisconsin. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by private individuals as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW) about 1126 and was destined for EFT.

A witness reported that she was sitting at her kitchen table when she heard the airplane. It sounded similar an airplane performing aerobatic maneuvers, with a loud, high-pitched sound such as when an airplane descends at high speed during an aerobatic maneuver. She subsequently looked out of her kitchen window and observed a "fireball" through an opening in the tree line behind her home. She immediately heard a "deafening" explosion that shook the house and saw thick black smoke rising above the trees. A second explosion followed shortly after the first.

The accident site was located near the edge of a wooded ravine, with the terrain rising about 20 feet from the initial tree impact to the main wreckage. The debris path was oriented toward the east-southeast. The initial tree strike was about 80 feet above ground level. A second tree strike about 12 feet above ground level was located about 32 feet from the initial strike. An impact crater was located approximately 15 feet from the second tree strike. The main wreckage was located about 114 ft from the initial tree impact on the top of the ravine near the edge of the tree line. The area east of the woods was open and consisted of tall grass.