19970715018609A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20C · Serepta, LA · July 15, 1997

Date: July 15, 1997 · 10:30 local
Place: Serepta, LA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N777TU
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97FA269
Reported as: Mooney M20C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N777TURegistration cancelled Feb 23, 2006 · Mooney M20CS/N 3128 · Built 1965 Airframe modelMooney M20C Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

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 overdue, alnot issued, wreckage located. (-23) on July 15, 1997, at 1130 central daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N777TU, owned by a private individual and operated by a private pilot under title 14 CFR part 91, impacted the terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near sarepta, Louisiana. The private pilot received fatal injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned cross country flight and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed new braunfels, Texas, at 0536. During personal interviews, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the owner, witnesses, and local authorities report the following information. The pilot received a ground and flight check in the airplane on July 14, 1997, at san antonio international airport, san antonio Texas. The pilot flew the airplane to new braunfels, Texas, for the evening and departed the following morning.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS OVERDUE, ALNOT ISSUED, WRECKAGE LOCATED. (-23) ON JULY 15, 1997, AT 1130 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M20C, N777TU, OWNED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR SAREPTA, LOUISIANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PLANNED CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS, AT 0536. DURING PERSONAL INTERVIEWS, CONDUCTED BY THE INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE OWNER, WITNESSES, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. THE PILOT RECEIVED A GROUND AND FLIGHT CHECK IN THE AIRPLANE ON JULY 14, 1997, AT SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS, FOR THE EVENING AND DEPARTED THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

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 FTW97FA269Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportSarepta, LAThe pilot's impairment (drugs) resulting in his becoming disoriented and the ensuing loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the inaccurate navigation chart.Jul 15, 1997 · Substantial damage