# NTSB ERA25FA187: Mooney M20TN, N242RE, Sparta, TN, April 26, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: April 26, 2025, 11:47 local (16:47 UTC) - Place: Sparta, TN - Coordinates: 36.028064, -85.552312 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0281&lon=-85.5523&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO, Continental Aerospace Technologies, AmSafe - NTSB case key (mKey): 200069 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25FA187 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200069/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA187 ## Preliminary report On April 26, 2025, about 1147 central daylight time, a Mooney M20TN, N242RE, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sparta, Tennessee. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14?Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Earlier that day the pilot flew from the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport (SRB), Sparta, Tennessee, to Shelby County Airport (EET), Alabaster, Alabama, where he landed, boarded 2 passengers and some cargo, then departed to return to SRB. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) preliminary air traffic control audio and Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data, after takeoff about 1039 the flight proceeded toward SRB while maintaining contact with several air traffic control facilities along the route of flight. Approaching SRB from the southwest, at 1136:55, the Sector 41 Radar Position controller of the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center instructed the pilot to cross the WENUB (intermediate fix/initial approach fix) at or above 4,000 ft and cleared the flight for the RNAV runway 4 approach to SRB. The flight continued direct to WENUB then turned to a northeast direction while flying toward SRB. At 1143:52, when the flight was about 6.2 nautical miles from the approach end of runway 4, the pilot cancelled his instrument flight rules clearance and informed the controller that the cloud bases were at 3,000 ft. Personnel at SRB reported hearing the pilot announce on the SRB common traffic advisory frequency that the flight was 11 miles and then 3 miles from SRB. There was no reported distress call made by the pilot. The flight continued direct towards SRB until 1146:56, after which time a slight deviation to the right occurred. A witness who was located about .3 nautical mile west-northwest of the accident site reported there was, “some kind of trouble the engine was cutting in and out like it was out of gas.” She observed the airplane was in level flight then diverted her attention and then heard the sound of a crash. During the final portion of the flight the airplane flew over a field with crop and impacted into trees and a creek about 1.5 nautical miles southwest from the approach end of runway 4. Initial examination of the engine revealed evidence of internal catastrophic malfunction. The No. 3 cylinder connecting rod was fractured and not attached at either end. The No. 3 cylinder connecting rod journal did not display any evidence of lack of lubrication. The engine was retained for further examination. A Stratus 3 receiver was located in the wreckage and retained for read-out by the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Division. Additionally, the shoulder harness airbag electronic module assembly, a portion of the pitch trim system and an annunciator panel were also retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Mooney M20TN, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=5870227), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20TN, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=5870227), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20TN, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870227), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N242RE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N242RE), registered now, S/N 31-0020, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20TN (NO SERIES EXISTS) - Registry model: [Mooney M20TN](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20tn) (registry code 5870227) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-550-G](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-550-g) (registry code 17401, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-0020 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 1711.9 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2024, 149 hours before - Departed: EET, Alabaster, AL - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SRB, Upper Cumberland Rgnl, runway 04, 6,704 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KSRB, 2 nm away - METAR: KSRB 261655Z AUTO 31005KT 10SM OVC025 21/17 A3014 RMK A01 ## 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 20250426006609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250426006609A), Apr 26, 2025: Mooney Airplane Co Inc M20TN, Sparta, TN, Substantial damage, 3 fatal. On April 26, 2025, at 1148L CST, the M20TN was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sparta, Tennessee. The private pilot and two… 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.