VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN20FA034
Mooney M20C — Flower Pot, AZ
| Date | December 8, 2019 |
| Location | Flower Pot, AZ |
| Aircraft | Mooney M20C |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Unk |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute-cruise Loss of visual reference |
| Pilot age | 23 |
| Pilot total time | 110 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total instrument experience-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Situational awareness-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
The non-instrument rated private pilot received two separate weather briefings before departing on the accident flight. During both briefings, he was informed of an AIRMET for mountain obscuration along his intended route of flight. During the second briefing, he was also informed that there was an AIRMET for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) that included the intended route of flight. The pilot then departed on the cross-country flight and was witnessed flying at very low altitude below an overcast cloud layer. Witnesses captured photographs of the airplane as it flew over their car and stated that it appeared to be following the road. One of the photographs showed that the airplane was about 227 ft above the ground and showed low clouds and obscuration of the mountain peaks in the background. There were no witnesses to the accident. Radar track data ended about 23 miles from the accident site but showed the airplane flying between 250 and 1,600 ft above the terrain for the portions of the flight that were captured. Postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, propeller, and control system did not reveal any preimpact anomalies.
Based on the available evidence, the accident was the result of the pilot's decision to initiate the flight in poor weather conditions, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions. The non-instrument rated pilot was unable to maintain situational awareness, lost control of the airplane, and impacted the ground.