Ice Reportedly Forces Light-Single Down In A Snow Shower

A Cessna 175 (file photo below) went down near Battle Creek MI Thursday afternoon killing the pilot and sole occupant.

The Associated Press reports Peter Fay, 48, of Mundelein IL told tower controllers in Kalamazoo his wings were icing up and he was attempting a landing in an open field he'd spotted.

The aircraft broke apart just in front of the baggage compartment on impact. Rescuers found Fay's body in the wreckage a short time later.

Local television reports say there were snow showers in the vicinity -- some creating white-out conditions.

Fay was said to have flown to Saginaw to visit a sick friend. Fay called his wife around noon on Thursday to tell her he was on his way home. The crash occurred around 2:00pm.

FAA officials were on the scene Thursday and were to return Friday for a follow-up with NTSB investigators.

Fay was reportedly an experienced pilot who also flew hot-air balloons competitively.

His daughter says he took her to Oshkosh for AirVenture the past two years in a row.

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**   Report created 11/3/2006   Record 1                                      **
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 9408B        Make/Model: C175      Description: 175, Skylark
  Date: 11/02/2006     Time: 1858

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: BATTLE CREEK   State: MI   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS
  FATALLY INJURED, EIGHT MILES FROM BATTLE CREEK, MI

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: BTL 1853Z 26016KT 10SM SCT016 SCT030 BKN047 A3016

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  Departed:                             Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: GRAND RAPIDS, MI  (GL09)              Entry date: 11/03/2006

FMI: www.ntsb.gov