19971220039209A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20F · Safford, AZ · December 20, 1997

Date: December 20, 1997 · 09:55 local
Place: Safford, AZ
Airport: Safford Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Scud Running
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2965L
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA059
Reported as: Mooney M20F
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360A1A
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,165 total398 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N2965LRegistration cancelled Mar 21, 1998 · Mooney M20FS/N 670488 Airframe modelMooney M20F

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.

Pilot inadvertantly entered fogbank possible spatial disorientation. Colloded with terrain. Rating not indicated.(.4) the pilot tookoff for his destination after he had received a weather briefing that indicated the area was going to be marginal with rain and snow showers. The pilot decided to try and make it through after spotting low lying clouds to the north of their intended route. The pilot began to follow a paved road and thought he could remain clear of clouds. After he turned around a corner of a mountain he inadvertently entered the clouds. As he began a climbing left turn the aircraft hit a hill and small tree. The second pilot insisted they turn around three times, to no avail.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT INADVERTANTLY ENTERED FOGBANK POSSIBLE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. COLLODED WITH TERRAIN. RATING NOT INDICATED.(.4) THE PILOT TOOKOFF FOR HIS DESTINATION AFTER HE HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INDICATED THE AREA WAS GOING TO BE MARGINAL WITH RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. THE PILOT DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE IT THROUGH AFTER SPOTTING LOW LYING CLOUDS TO THE NORTH OF THEIR INTENDED ROUTE. THE PILOT BEGAN TO FOLLOW A PAVED ROAD AND THOUGHT HE COULD REMAIN CLEAR OF CLOUDS. AFTER HE TURNED AROUND A CORNER OF A MOUNTAIN HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE CLOUDS. AS HE BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN THE AIRCRAFT HIT A HILL AND SMALL TREE. THE SECOND PILOT INSISTED THEY TURN AROUND THREE TIMES, TO NO AVAIL.

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 LAX98LA059Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSafford, AZThe pilot's poor in-flight judgement and intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions. Related factors were, mountainous terrain, rain and fog.Dec 20, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N2965L · 1

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

Incident 19941015042059ILevel Off Touchdown · Tucson, AZPower on landing into strong wind. Heard horn prior. Thought stall horn. Landed gear up. Failed extend gear.Oct 15, 1994 · Substantial damage