Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA14FA345
MOONEY M20F — North Elba, NY
| Date | July 19, 2014 |
| Location | North Elba, NY |
| Aircraft | MOONEY M20F |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 63 |
| Pilot total time | 735 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Capability exceeded - C
What happened
The accident airplane and another airplane approached the single runway from opposite directions. A witness reported hearing the pilot of the accident airplane reporting positions relative to the airport; he did not hear the pilot of the other airplane make any transmissions. Postaccident interviews with the pilot of the other airplane revealed that he was using a portable radio that likely became disabled due to its location and/or configuration in the cockpit; however, due to the type of airspace, neither airplane was required to have radio communications. As both airplanes approached the runway, both pilots saw the other airplane and successfully completed go-arounds to the right. The accident airplane then entered a steep climb, and, as it made a crosswind turn, the nose dropped, and the airplane entered a spin to the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the landing gear were down and that the flaps were likely somewhat extended; however, the degree to which they were extended or whether they were in transit could not be determined. Wreckage damage indicated that the airplane was in a left spin at the time of impact. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.