- Date
- November 19, 1982, 17:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sardis, AL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7201YMooney M20J
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821119059429A
- Case key
- 72556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft was on an IFR flight from memphis, TN to selma, AL. During arrival, he was cleared for an NDB approach to the craig airport. At that time, the weather was reported as measured 400 ft overcast, visibility 1/2 mi with fog. The weather minimums for the approach were 700 ft ceiling, 3/4 mi visibility. The pilot reported that he was going to try the approach, and if he did not make it, he would go to montgomery, AL. The controller lost contact with the aircraft after the approach was started (at dusk). A witness reported seeing the aircraft before it crashed. He stated that he saw the aircraft bank to miss a 50 ft tree, then disappear into the fog. This witness estimated that the ceiling and visibility were both about 100 ft. two mercury vapor security lights were installed on the farm where the plane crashed. They were located between the final approach fix and the runway. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact aircraft malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7201Y
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0602
- Airframe hours
- 1,838
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lazy 8 Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Earl Newman
- Departed
- Memphis, TN
- Destination
- Selma, AL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SEM · Craig Field, runway 32, 8,002 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 744 total · 669 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.