CEN22LA118

The airplane was approaching the destination airport in dark night conditions when it collided with trees, impacted terrain, and came to rest about 500 ft before the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Neither occupant could remember the events of the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, data recovered from multiple devices that contained non-volatile memory revealed no anomalies with recorded engine parameters and that all flight parameters were consistent with controlled flight.

On February 11, 2022, about 2006 central standard time, a Mooney M20J airplane, N201VZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Katy, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of archived Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane departed Castroville Municipal Airport (CVB), Castroville, Texas about 1827 destined for West Houston Airport (IWS), Katy, Texas. After overflying IWS at about 1,075 ft GPS altitude, the airplane turned left onto a downwind flight pattern leg for landing on runway 15. About 650 ft GPS altitude the airplane turned final and descended at which point the ADS-B data ended. The responding FAA inspector documented the accident site, which revealed that the airplane had collided with a tree, impacted terrain, and came to rest about 500 ft short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, neither the pilot nor the passenger could recall the events of the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, data recovered from multiple devices that contained non-volatile memory revealed no anomalies with recorded engine parameters and that all flight parameters were consistent with controlled flight. Historical sunrise and sunset times for the Houston, Texas area for the day of the accident listed the sunrise as 0704, the sunset as 1807 and the end of civil twilight as 1831.