VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN13FA217
MOONEY M20E — Guymon, OK
| Date | April 1, 2013 |
| Location | Guymon, OK |
| Aircraft | MOONEY M20E |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute-cruise VFR encounter with IMC |
| Pilot age | 68 |
| Pilot total time | 933 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 638 hrs |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Visual illusion/disorientation-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on operation - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - F
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
A witness reported that, after landing for an en-route fuel stop, the noninstrument-rated pilot checked the weather and then departed for a cross-country flight; instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of departure. The burned wreckage was found 2 days later in a remote unpopulated area about 6 miles northwest of the departure airport. Examination of the accident site revealed ground scars and airplane damage consistent with a nearly vertical nose-down collision with terrain. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures, although the definitive operational status of the vacuum-driven instruments could not be determined. The weather information, which was corroborated by a witness, depicted deteriorating weather conditions with a lowering variable ceiling and the lack of a visible horizon in the area at the time of the accident. The low-visibility conditions were conducive to the noninstrument-rated pilot's development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane's near-vertical descent is consistent with the pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation.