Stall / Spin · NTSB CEN09FA147
MOONEY M20C — Elbert, CO
| Date | February 1, 2009 |
| Location | Elbert, CO |
| Aircraft | MOONEY M20C |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Aerodynamic stall/spin |
| Pilot age | 53 |
| Pilot total time | 412 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
What happened
A local resident found the airplane wreckage in a ravine located between two pastures and alerted authorities. The airplane rested over a crater, with the forward fuselage and cabin broken but with the engine still attached to the fuselage. Ground impact marks were consistent with a left-wing-low and nose-down impact. Examination of the airplane, engine, and other systems showed no preimpact anomalies. An analysis of the airplane's radar track showed it conducting several back-and-forth maneuvers before disappearing from radar. Just prior to the loss of radar contact, the airplane appeared to be in a gentle right-hand turn at 7,900 feet mean sea level (about 1,300 feet above ground level) with a groundspeed of approximately 50 knots. The accident flight profile was consistent with a pilot proficiency flight and the maneuver preceding the crash that of practicing slow-flight maneuvering.