20141110020559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20C · Lewisburg, WV · November 10, 2014

Date: November 10, 2014 · 12:58 local
Place: Lewisburg, WV
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6581U
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15FA049
Reported as: Mooney M20C
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N6581URegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2018 · Mooney M20CS/N 2363 · Built 1962 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.

During the climbout on runway 4 at approximately an altitude of 500-700 feet AGL, the aircraft leveled off for a short period of time and then turned hard left with the wings perpendicular to the ground. According to an eyewitness watching from a "t-hangar", after it turned it didn't sound like it had any power, but just before the aircraft left his field of view he heard the engine "rev" to full power (the eyewitness is a certified aircraft mechanic (A&P and IA). The aircraft then proceeded northwest of the airport and crashed in a field approximately 1500 feet from the runway. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft received substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, left main gear assembly torn from the aircraft, left fuel tank ruptured, and the propeller was found detached from the engine approximately 20 feet away. The flight was in VMC, the winds were calm, the visibility was 10 sm and clear at the time of the accident.

As the FAA filed it

DURING THE CLIMBOUT ON RUNWAY 4 AT APPROXIMATELY AN ALTITUDE OF 500-700 FEET AGL, THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN TURNED HARD LEFT WITH THE WINGS PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS WATCHING FROM A "T-HANGAR", AFTER IT TURNED IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE IT HAD ANY POWER, BUT JUST BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT LEFT HIS FIELD OF VIEW HE HEARD THE ENGINE "REV" TO FULL POWER (THE EYEWITNESS IS A CERTIFIED AIRCRAFT MECHANIC (A&P AND IA). THE AIRCRAFT THEN PROCEEDED NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND CRASHED IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, LEFT MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT, LEFT FUEL TANK RUPTURED, AND THE PROPELLER WAS FOUND DETACHED FROM THE ENGINE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AWAY. THE FLIGHT WAS IN VMC, THE WINDS WERE CALM, THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 SM AND CLEAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

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 ERA15FA049Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportLewisburg, WVThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident were abnormal engine operation due to improper…Nov 10, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6581U · 1

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

Incident 19970104001459ILevel Off Touchdown · Beckley, WVTried activate runway lights on wrong frequency. Departed. Ground crew activated lights. Returned. Landed gear up.Jan 4, 1997 · Minor damage