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20130303002099A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Mooney M20E · Angel Fire, NM · March 3, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 3, 2013 · 13:20 local
Place
Angel Fire, NM
Airport
Angel Fire
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3484X
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN13FA183
Reported as
Mooney M20E
Reported engine
Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
4
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
500 total
N3484XRegistration cancelled May 20, 2015 · Mooney M20ES/N 1156 · Built 1966Airframe modelMooney M20EEngine modelLycoming I0360 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.

Weather data: 032035Z auto 24038G54KT 10SM clr 08/M08 A2993 rmk A02 T0078103

Mooney M20E, s/n 1156, N3484X, departed runway 17 at Angel Fire, new Mexico (kaxx) at approximately 1320 MST. According to an eye witness, after takeoff the aircraft began porpoising and appeared to be experiencing difficulty gaining altitude. At approximately 150 feet AGL the aircraft nose pitched up approximately 20 degrees, the right wing rose rapidly, the aircraft rotated to the left until the nose pointed straight down toward the ground and then flew vertically into the ground approximately 200 yards from the southwest end of the runway. The PIC and three passengers were fatally injured.

The aircraft arrived at kaxx on 02/28/13 in the afternoon. The PIC parked at pierce air and was met by the airport manager. He inquired if the PIC would be purchasing fuel. He was concerned about the weight and the performance of the aircraft for their departure on Sunday, March 3rd. The airport manager looked at the aircraft, the fuel left on board ( approximately 23-25 gallons) and advised the PIC that for performance reasons it would be better to not add any fuel in kaxx and to plan on stopping in las vegas, NM or tucumcari, NM for additional fuel for the trip home. The airport manager also advised the PIC on the forecast weather for kaxx on Sunday and suggested an early takeoff or waiting until closer to sunset for reduced winds.

On Sunday, March 3rd, the PIC and three passengers arrived at the airport at 1300 MST, added six gallons of fuel to the left wing totaling approximately 30 gallons. The PIC spoke to the line attendant where the line attendant briefed the PIC on the current weather, winds 240 31 g 48 and that the airport density altitude was 9,600 ft. the line attendant made several attempts to stop the PIC from departing. PIC acknowledged the information and departed

As the FAA filed it

WEATHER DATA: 032035Z AUTO 24038G54KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A2993 RMK A02 T0078103

MOONEY M20E, S/N 1156, N3484X, DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT ANGEL FIRE, NEW MEXICO (KAXX) AT APPROXIMATELY 1320 MST. ACCORDING TO AN EYE WITNESS, AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN PORPOISING AND APPEARED TO BE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY GAINING ALTITUDE. AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AGL THE AIRCRAFT NOSE PITCHED UP APPROXIMATELY 20 DEGREES, THE RIGHT WING ROSE RAPIDLY, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE LEFT UNTIL THE NOSE POINTED STRAIGHT DOWN TOWARD THE GROUND AND THEN FLEW VERTICALLY INTO THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PIC AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT KAXX ON 02/28/13 IN THE AFTERNOON. THE PIC PARKED AT PIERCE AIR AND WAS MET BY THE AIRPORT MANAGER. HE INQUIRED IF THE PIC WOULD BE PURCHASING FUEL. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEIGHT AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR THEIR DEPARTURE ON SUNDAY, MARCH 3RD. THE AIRPORT MANAGER LOOKED AT THE AIRCRAFT, THE FUEL LEFT ON BOARD ( APPROXIMATELY 23-25 GALLONS) AND ADVISED THE PIC THAT FOR PERFORMANCE REASONS IT WOULD BE BETTER TO NOT ADD ANY FUEL IN KAXX AND TO PLAN ON STOPPING IN LAS VEGAS, NM OR TUCUMCARI, NM FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL FOR THE TRIP HOME. THE AIRPORT MANAGER ALSO ADVISED THE PIC ON THE FORECAST WEATHER FOR KAXX ON SUNDAY AND SUGGESTED AN EARLY TAKEOFF OR WAITING UNTIL CLOSER TO SUNSET FOR REDUCED WINDS.

ON SUNDAY, MARCH 3RD, THE PIC AND THREE PASSENGERS ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT 1300 MST, ADDED SIX GALLONS OF FUEL TO THE LEFT WING TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 30 GALLONS. THE PIC SPOKE TO THE LINE ATTENDANT WHERE THE LINE ATTENDANT BRIEFED THE PIC ON THE CURRENT WEATHER, WINDS 240 31 G 48 AND THAT THE AIRPORT DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 9,600 FT. THE LINE ATTENDANT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE PIC FROM DEPARTING. PIC ACKNOWLEDGED THE INFORMATION AND DEPARTED

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 CEN13FA183Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportAngel Fire, NMThe pilot's loss of control while flying in a turbulent mountain-wave environment. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's overconfidence in his ability to safely pilot the airplane in gusting wind conditions and his lack of experience operating in…Mar 3, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3484X · 1

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

Incident 20010707023119INormal Cruise · Punta Gorda, FL(-23) On July 7, 2001, at 1700 eastern time, a Mooney M20E, registered to thomas tedeschi, was in cruise flight at 7500 feet going from venice, Florida airport to vero beach airport when a loud popping noise was heard. The pilot declared an emergency and…Jul 7, 2001