# Accident 20211028018409A: Mooney M20M, North Bend, WA, October 28, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 28, 2021, 09:10 local time
- Place: North Bend, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.5923° N, 121.6330° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5923&lon=-121.6330&mi=10
- Aircraft: N40KA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40KA-2023-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20M (registry code 5870222, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20M
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,550 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211028018409A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON OCTOBER 28, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:45, THE WESTERN REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER CONTACTED THE SEATTLE FLIGHT STANDARDS OFFICE WITH INFORMATION ON AN AIRCRAFT N40KA, A 1993 MOONEY M20M SERIAL NUMBER 27-0171. THE WESTERN REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER ISSUED A PRELIMINARY REPORT THAT INCLUDED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LAST DEPARTURE POINT WAS KAWO (ARLINGTON, WA.) WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF KTWF (IDAHO FALLS, ID.). IN THAT REPORT, IT STATED THAT N40KA WAS FLYING UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES AND SWITCHED FROM SEATTLE APPROACH TO SEATTLE ARTCC. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INFORMED THE PILOT OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT ICING PILOT WEATHER REPORTS (PIREPS) REPORTED FROM AIRLINERS THAT FLEW THROUGH THE AREA. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ALSO ISSUED HEADINGS AND AN ALTITUDE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE ICING. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO 16,300 FEET, THEN BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT TO 11,300 FEET WITH ERRATIC TURNS. THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE SEATTLE-TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SEA) AND DESCENDED THROUGH 5,400 FEET WHEN A SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF RADAR AND COMMUNICATION OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER 0910. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF NORTH BEND, WA. WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS. THE WRECKAGE OBSERVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE HAD SHOWN THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH SPEED AT ALMOST A VERTICAL ANGLE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. IT WAS DETERMINED LATER BY THE CORONER?S OFFICE THAT ONLY ONE OCCUPANT WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT AND IT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND. A REVIEW OF THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. AIRMEN?S METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION (AIRMET Z) WAS ACTIVE FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING, AND CLEAR ICE CONDITIONS. PIREPS CONFIRMED THE ICING CONDITIONS AND LOW-LEVEL TURBULENCE NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR22FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA023), Oct 28, 2021: Mooney M20M (N40KA), Snoqualmie, WA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to fly the airplane into known icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and collision with terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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