- Date
- July 1, 1991, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Waynesboro, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5809JMooney M20J
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910701025299A
- Case key
- 11628
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
The pilots failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted in overstress of the airplane. Contributing was VFR flight into IMC and thunderstorms.
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 pilot was en route at 11,500 feet and was receiving traffic advisories from air traffic control, who advised him of heavy precipitation ahead. The pilot began a descent about 14 miles from his destination. ATC advised the pilot to maintain visual meteorological conditions, which he acknowledged. The pilot later reported he had encountered rain and turbulence and that he was not in VMC. ATC lost contact with the airplane soon afterwards. Witnesses reported a severe thunderstorm when they saw the airplane descend and crash. The investigation revealed the airplane had an inflight breakup; wreckage was strewn a distance of about two miles. The examination did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5809J
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1554
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Perry E. Brunk
- Registered owner
- Perry E. Brunk
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- LNP · Wise, VA
- Destination
- SHD · Harrisonburg, VA
- 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
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SHD, 999 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.