# NTSB CHI98FA022: Mooney M20K, N305RJ, Emporia, KS, October 24, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: October 23, 1997, 20:17 local (Oct 24, 1997, 01:17 UTC) - Place: Emporia, KS - Coordinates: 38.409809, -96.190864 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4098&lon=-96.1909&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report February 29, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10721 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI98FA022 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10721/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA022 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain an altitude above the minimum descent altitude for the approach. Factors contributing to this accident were the low ceiling, rain, and fog. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - minimum descent altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - rain (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis The airplane was on the second of a two leg IFR cross-country flight from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Emporia, Kansas, with an intermediate stop at Farmington, New Mexico. On contacting the Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the pilot was informed that Emporia weather was 10 miles visibility, and an overcast ceiling of 600 feet agl. At 1951 central daylight time (cdt), Kansas City ARTCC cleared the pilot for the VOR approach into the Emporia Municipal Airport. At 2002 cdt, the pilot reported that he was on the missed approach. The pilot requested another VOR approach. Kansas City ARTCC cleared the pilot for the approach, and told him to report 'established' on the approach. At 2014 cdt, the pilot reported that he was established inbound on the VOR approach. Kansas City ARTCC instructed the pilot to 'go over to advisory [frequency] and report cancellation on this frequency.' The pilot responded,' Okay, we'll go ahead and cancel IFR right now.' The airplane impacted the terrain, near Emporia Airport, at 2017 cdt. The pilot's logbook showed that he had 44.1 hours of actual instrument time. A pilot, who had departed the Emporia Airport at approximately 2000 cdt, described the weather as 'marginal, a ceiling of around 700 feet agl,' and the visibility as being 6 to 7 miles. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 23, 1997, at 2017 central daylight time (cdt), a Mooney M20K, N305RJ, operated by a private pilot, was destroyed when while maneuvering, the airplane impacted the terrain. A post-crash fire ensued. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. An IFR flight plan was on file. The pilot and two passengers on board the airplane were fatally injured. The flight originated at Farmington, New Mexico, at 1601 mountain daylight time (mdt), and was en route to Emporia, Kansas. The pilot telephoned the Las Vegas, Nevada, Flight Service Station (FSS) at 0744 pacific daylight time (pdt), and requested a briefing for a flight from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Farmington, New Mexico, and then continuing on to Emporia, Kansas. The pilot stated that he would be leaving at noon and requested a "general synopsis." The pilot received an outlook briefing. At 1048 pdt, the pilot called the Reno, Nevada FSS, and requested to file an IFR flight plan and receive a weather briefing. The pilot filed two flight plans and received a weather briefing. The pilot departed Las Vegas, Nevada, at 1158 pdt. At 1500 mdt, the pilot called Albuquerque, New Mexico FSS by telephone and received an updated weather briefing for an IFR flight from Farmington, New Mexico, to Emporia, Kansas. At 1554 mdt, the pilot contacted Farmington, New Mexico, Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) requesting "taxi and clearance to Emporia." Farmington ATCT cleared the airplane for taxi. At 1600 mdt, on reaching the run-up area, the Farmington ATCT issued the pilot clearance to Emporia, Kansas, via direct as filed, and to climb and maintain 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot read back the clearance and reported ready for takeoff. At 1601 mdt, Farmington ATCT cleared the airplane for takeoff without delay. The pilot departed after acknowledging the clearance. At 1854 cdt, the pilot contacted the Wichita, Kansas FSS, and requested the current weather from Dodge City, Kansas, to Emporia. The Enroute Flight Advisory Specialist at Wichita FSS told the pilot "the Emporia sequence is a special. At forty-one past the hour, they [Emporia] were showing 800 overcast, visibility 10 miles." The pilot confirmed the ceiling and visibility with the Flight Advisory Specialist and then asked if Emporia was reporting any rain. The response was "negative." At 1919:11 cdt, the pilot checked in with Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) Sector 66, and reported that he was level at 11,000 feet msl. At 1941:07 cdt, Kansas City ARTCC directed the pilot to descend to 5,000 feet msl. At 1943:57 cdt, Kansas City ARTCC informed the pilot that the weather at Emporia, Kansas was winds at 180 degrees magnetic at 13 knots with gusts to 16 knots; visibility 10 miles; ceiling 600 feet above ground level (agl), and an altimeter setting of 29.68 inches of mercury. At 1946:29 cdt, Kansas City ARTCC Sector 66 instructed the pilot to contact Kansas City ARTCC on another frequency. The pilot acknowledged by reading back the frequency. At 1946:42 cdt, the pilot checked in with Kansas City ARTCC Sector 48, and reported that he was "descending down through 6,500 [feet msl]." Sector 48 instructed the pilot to maintain 5,000 feet msl, "I have an aircraft that's going to depart Emporia in about one more minute, and I'll get him outta your way, and I'll have a clearance for what you like, the VOR alfa?" The pilot responded, "VOR alfa." At 1950:13 cdt, Sector 48 said, "Three zero five romeo juliet, you can go ahead and start executing the approach, maintain 5,000 [feet msl], once I get that other aircraft in radar, I'll have lower for you." At 1951:01 cdt, Sector 48 cleared the pilot for the VOR alfa approach into Emporia Municipal Airport, "maintain three thousand two hundred [feet msl] 'til established, report established please." The pilot acknowledged. At 1954:10 cdt, Sector 48 said, "Three zero five romeo juliet, radar contact is lost. You can change to advisory frequency and report cancellation on this frequency. I can talk to you on the ground." The pilot responded, "Five romeo juliet, thanks." At 2002:25 cdt, the pilot contacted Kansas City ARTCC Sector 48 and reported that he was on the missed approach. Sector 48 asked the pilot if he wanted to execute the missed approach and try again? The pilot responded, "yeah we're executing missed approach and try again." Sector 48 told the pilot that on reaching 3,200 [feet msl] he was cleared for the VOR alfa approach again and to report when he was established on the approach. The pilot responded, "report established, roger." At 2014:44 cdt, the pilot reported that he was established inbound on the VOR approach into Emporia. Sector 48 said, "Go over to advisory [frequency] and report cancellation on this frequency. If not, come back up on missed approach." The pilot responded," Okay, we'll go ahead and cancel IFR right now." Sector 48 said, "Roger, IFR canceled, squawk VFR, and [I'll] talk to you later." The pilot said, "Okay, thanks." At 2017 cdt, The Lyon County, Kansas Sheriff's Department dispatcher received a report of a fire and explosion in the 1100 block of County Road J. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to his logbook, the pilot had 676.6 total flight hours, 119.3 hours in the M-20K. As of September 8, 1997, the pilot had accumulated 44.1 hours of actual instrument time. The pilot completed a biennial flight review on October 31, 1996, and an instrument competency check flight on January 20, 1997. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot and his wife, and used for business and pleasure. The airplane was manufactured in 1981. The airplane was originally registered as N11486. On July 1, 1984, the airplane was purchased and delivered to Canada. The airplane was operated for 14 years under the Canadian registration letters C-GCYM. The airplane was purchased by the pilot on October 1, 1996. On October 3, 1996, the airplane was delivered to Rocket Engineering Corporation, Spokane, Washington, to be modified under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) number SA5691NM and number SA00243SE, installing a Continental TSIO-520-NB engine on the airplane, and increasing the gross weight of the airplane to 3,200 pounds for takeoff. The airplane was registered to the pilot and his wife on November 14, 1997, as N305RJ. The airplane was declared airworthy and returned to service on November 15, 1997. The airplane underwent a 100 hour inspection on January 7, 1997. The FAA issued a standard airworthiness certificate for the airplane on January 9, 1997. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At 1953 cdt, the Emporia Municipal Airport Automated Aviation Routine Weather Reporting Station (METAR) reported winds of 160 degrees magnetic at seven knots, visibility 6 miles with light rain and fog, and ceilings of 600 feet agl broken, and 7,500 feet agl overcast. A pilot for United Parcel Service (UPS), who had departed the Emporia Municipal Airport at approximately 2000 cdt, described the weather as "marginal, a ceiling of around 700 feet agl," and the visibility as being 6 to 7 miles. The UPS pilot could not recall if there were any rain or fog in the area at the time he departed. AIDS TO NAVIGATION The airplane was equipped with a VOR receiver and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME). The pilot also had on board the airplane a hand-held Global Positioning Satellite receiver, which was recovered at the accident site, and found to be in good working order. Emporia Municipal Airport has a published VOR or GPS-A approach. Circling minimums required for a category "A" aircraft to fly the approach is a ceiling of 500 feet agl and a visibility of 1 mile. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION ## Aircraft - Registration: [N305RJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N305RJ-2001-03-22), registration cancelled 2001-03-22, S/N 250602 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 250602 - Airframe hours: 2448 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-NB 305 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard Evert Cripps - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 9, 1997, 119 hours before - Departed: FMN, FARMINGTON, NM - Destination: EMP - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EMP, Emporia Municipal, runway 19, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 677 total, 119 in this make and model, 661 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 140° at 7 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 600 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: EMP, 2 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19971023030839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971023030839A), Oct 23, 1997: Mooney M20K, Emporia, KS, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Lost control onnight landing. Impacted ground. Exploded. Burned. (.4) the airplane was on the second of a two leg IFR cross-country flight from las vegas,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.