- Date
- January 11, 1991, 14:27 local (19:27 UTC)
- Place
- Pageland, SC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6858VMooney M20F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910111000349A
- Case key
- 8299
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft, due to spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident were: the weather conditions and the malfunction of a gyro instrument (probably the attitude indicator).
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
After departing on an instrument flight, the pilot reported a system problem and requested clearance back to the departure airport. Soon thereafter, the pilot declared an emergency because he was experiencing a gyro problem. No further communication was received from N6858V. Instrument weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Witnesses heard the airplane flying in clouds before it crashed. Reportedly, it made an 's' turn, then it was observed below the clouds, seconds before impact. The airplane was extensively damaged during impact. An exam of the flight controls failed to disclose any obvious malfunction or control failure. Examination of the electrical components and vacuum system components failed to indicate a mechanical problem. Both gyros showed signs of rotation, and the vacuum pump sustained impact damage. A low level of ethanol was detected in the pilot's liver tissue, but none was found in kidney tissue.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6858V
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 72-1251
- Airframe hours
- 1,985
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Blackwell, Billy
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- EQY · Monroe, NC
- Destination
- CRE · Grand Strand, SC
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 745 total · 210 in this make and model · 595 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Observed at
- CLT, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.