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19960802020609A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Mooney M20K · Grand Canyon, AZ · August 2, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 2, 1996 · 10:08 local
Place
Grand Canyon, AZ
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N4634H
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX96FA294
Reported as
Mooney M20K
Reported engine
Continental TSIO360GB
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
1,364 total791 in this make and model46 in the last 90 days
N4634HRegistration cancelled Nov 23, 1999 · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0472Airframe modelMooney M20K

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft was deviating around thunderstorms, radar contact lost, crashed. (.4)the pilot was deviating for weather and reported cumulous buildups and electrical discharges with tops at and above his flight level. Radar data showed the aircraft ground track turning north as it began an unannounced descent. The descent continued until radar contact was lost. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft break out of the overcast, making a series of random turns, climbs, and dives before it collided with the Canyon wall. The aircraft collided with the Canyon wall near pima point. Thunderstorms had developed along the route several hours sooner than forecast. Examination of recorded weather radar data disclosed that a level 6 thunderstorm with tops to 49,000 feet was present at the location and time of the accident. There was no record of the pilot requesting or receiving updated weather information after his final duats briefing 4 hours prior to the accident. No evidence of mechanical discrepancies were found during the wreckage examination.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS DEVIATING AROUND THUNDERSTORMS, RADAR CONTACT LOST, CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT WAS DEVIATING FOR WEATHER AND REPORTED CUMULOUS BUILDUPS AND ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES WITH TOPS AT AND ABOVE HIS FLIGHT LEVEL. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT GROUND TRACK TURNING NORTH AS IT BEGAN AN UNANNOUNCED DESCENT. THE DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT BREAK OUT OF THE OVERCAST, MAKING A SERIES OF RANDOM TURNS, CLIMBS, AND DIVES BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE CANYON WALL. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE CANYON WALL NEAR PIMA POINT. THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ALONG THE ROUTE SEVERAL HOURS SOONER THAN FORECAST. EXAMINATION OF RECORDED WEATHER RADAR DATA DISCLOSED THAT A LEVEL 6 THUNDERSTORM WITH TOPS TO 49,000 FEET WAS PRESENT AT THE LOCATION AND TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT REQUESTING OR RECEIVING UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION AFTER HIS FINAL DUATS BRIEFING 4 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX96FA294Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportGrand Canyon, AZdue to an in-flight loss of control resulting from a probable incapacitation for unknown reasons. The loss of control occurred while the aircraft was being flown in close proximity to a level 6 thunderstorm. The failure of the pilot to obtain current weather…Aug 2, 1996 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4634H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920209003969IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · La Jolla, CAEngine failed. Pilot elected to make forced landing at the glider Port.Feb 9, 1992 · Minor damage