- Date
- January 14, 1991, 22:44 local (Jan 15, 1991, 04:44 UTC)
- Place
- Newcastle, OK
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7201EMooney 20J
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910114000509A
- Case key
- 23243
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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors were spatial disorientation, improper IFR procedures, and the dark night with low ceilings and rain.
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
During a night back course localizer approach under instrument meteorological conditions, the instrument-rated private pilot lost control of his aircraft and impacted into a muddy wheat field. The pilot had requested the approach after attempting to visually land at the airport. The pilot was vectored to final and flew through the localizer. He acknowledged that he was on the correct frequency. He was observed turning and flying away from the course line just prior to the loss of control. He had stated that he was below the clouds prior to attempting the instrument approach.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7201E
- Reported as
- Mooney 20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0596
- Airframe hours
- 2,670
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James D. Woodward
- Registered owner
- James D. Woodward
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1990 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- WWR · Woodward, OK
- Destination
- OKC · Oklahoma City, OK
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- OKC · Will Rogers World, runway 35, 9,800 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,400 total · 4,274 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.