MIA01FA071

The instrument-rated pilot obtained a weather brief which indicated instrument meteorological flight conditions, with cloud bases near 600 feet, and tops above 10,000 feet. Flight visibility was 0 miles in the clouds, and near 4 miles in mist below the lowest cloud base. An AIRMET for IFR conditions had been in effect for the area of the accident site. The pilot departed Savannah, Georgia during daylight hours, and about 8 minutes into the flight after he had acknowledged an Air Traffic Controller's instruction to fly heading of 080 degrees, and to maintain an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane was observed to turn to the left, followed by in a descending turn to the right. The airplane was last observed at 1318:38, at an altitude of 1,700 feet. It collided with high voltage utility wires, and impacted the ground spreading burning debris over a large area. A witness who was outside her house on her porch said she saw the accident airplane in a descent with one wing low as if in a turn, and it disappeared behind trees, exploding on impact. She stated that the engine sounded as if it was operating normally prior to the impact. Postcrash examination of the aircraft did not reveal any evidence of any preaccident failure or malfunction to the airframe, the flight controls, or the engine.

History of flight

On February 4, 2001, about 1318 eastern standard time, a Mooney M-20R, N88FJ, registered to FHJ Aviation Inc., and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in Bluffton, South Carolina. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight originated from Savannah, Georgia, the same day, about 1309.

Several witnesses on highway SC170 at the time of the accident, reported not seeing the initial impact, but said that as they were in their motor vehicles on the highway, they saw a wall of fire extending about 40 feet in the air, along with scattered and burning debris. They further stated that they heard a corresponding "swooshing" sound, as a fireball of burning debris crossed the four-lane highway. One witness said that upon seeing the debris he stopped his vehicle, somehow concluding that it could only have been an aircraft that had crashed, and he went in to the wooded areas to see if he could offer any assistance. A witness who was inside his house at the time of the accident said that he heard the aircraft pass overhead, and the engine sounded as if it was operating normally, and another witness stated that she was outside the house on the porch, and she heard, as well as saw the accident aircraft, at a very low altitude prior to its impact. She said that as the aircraft was descending, one wing was low as if it was in a turn, just prior to it impacting, and bursting into flames. She said the aircraft went behind the trees, and she did not see the actual impact, but she heard it, and observed the resulting fire and rising black smoke. She also stated that the engine sounded as if it was operating normally prior to the impact.

Information obtained from the FAA showed that the pilot of N88FJ had been in radio communications contact with the Savannah North Radar Controller, and had received a clearance to turn the aircraft to a heading of 080 degrees, and to climb to and maintain 3,000 feet. At 1312, the pilot verified his altitude to be 3,000 feet, and at 1313, the radar controller coordinated with Marine Beaufort Approach Control, the next air traffic control facility along the accident aircraft's intended route of flight, to affect a radio communications handoff, as the flight progressed. At 1316:19, the pilot checked into Beaufort's airspace stating, "And Beaufort Mooney eight eight fox juliet three thousand." At 1316:22, the Marine Beaufort Approach controller responded, "Mooney eight eight foxtrot juliet Beaufort Approach Beaufort altimeter three zero one eight." At 1316:26, the pilot responded, "three zero one eight fox juliet." At 1318:18, the pilot stated, "And Beaufort Mooney eight eight foxtrot juliet", to which the Marine Beaufort controller responded two times, requesting that the pilot "...say intentions", but a reply was never received. Subsequent attempts by both Marine Beaufort Approach and Savannah North Radar controllers to reestablish communications with the pilot of N88FJ also yielded negative results.

According to the Marine Beaufort Approach controller, radar data showed that at 1316:20, the accident airplane was on a heading of 070, at an altitude of 2,900 feet, and had a ground speed of 190 knots. At 1317:00, the heading was 070 degrees, the altitude 3,000 feet, and the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:19, the heading was 070, the altitude 3,100 feet, the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:30, the heading was 070, the altitude 3,000 feet, and the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:41, the heading was 010, the altitude 2,900 feet, and the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:45, the heading was 020, the altitude 2,800 feet, and the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:51, the heading was 030, the altitude 2,600 feet, and the ground speed 190 knots. At 1317:57, the heading was 050, the altitude 2,300 feet, and the ground speed 180 knots, At 1318:00, the heading was 090, the altitude 2,300 feet, and the ground speed 180 knots. At 1318:07, the heading was 160, the altitude 2,400 feet, and the ground speed 160 knots. At 1318:12, the heading was 180, the altitude 2,400 feet, and the ground speed 150 knots. At 1318:18, when the pilot communicated to air traffic control, the airplane was on a heading of 190 degrees, at an altitude of 2,400 feet, and had a ground speed of 180 knots. At 1318:25, when the controller repeated the request that the pilot "say intentions", the accident airplane was on a heading of 230, at an altitude of 2,400 feet, and a ground speed of 170 knots. FAA Savannah North radar data also showed N88FJ in a descending right turn, with the last radar indication occurring at 1318:36, at an altitude of 1,700 feet. Ther were no further communications or radar contact with N88FJ.

N88FJ collided with high voltage utility wires, and impacted the ground in the vicinity of the intersection of highways US278 and SC170, spreading burning debris over a large area.

Personnel information

FAA records indicate that the pilot, age 54, held an FAA private pilot certificate, with an airplane single engine land rating, which had been issued on November 4, 1996. On January 15, 2000, the pilot added an airplane instrument rating. Logbooks were not obtained by the NTSB, but the pilot's application for the instrument rating, dated January 15, 2000, showed that at the time of his application for the rating, he reported having had a total of 366 flight hours, of which about 303 flight hours were in similar aircraft to the accident airplane. He also reported having had 97 hours of instrument flight experience at the time of his application for the instrument rating. The pilot's last application for an FAA third class medical certificate, issued on September 25, 2000, showed that at the time of the application he reported having 425 flight hours, of which 65 flight fours were flown in the past six months. The medical certificate had the limitation that he must have available his spectacles for near vision, and that his certificate was valid only for 12 months following the month he had been examined. The pilot attended Flight Safety International's Mooney initial flight training course, from September 9, to September 11, 1999.

Aircraft information

N88FJ, serial number 29-0192, a Mooney M-20R four-place airplane, had been manufactured and was declared airworthy on August 13, 1999. It was delivered IFR equipped and certificated, and with the accident having occurred within the 24 calendar month limitation, is considered to have had a current pitot static, altimeter, and transponder systems check. The aircraft logbooks were not obtained by the NTSB, but according to information supplied by the Henry Weber Aircraft Distributors Inc., Lilitz, Pennsylvania, where the aircraft had been first delivered to its owner upon its purchase, and also where it had been primarily serviced, the accident aircraft had accumulated about 221.6 hours. It had once been recalled to the Mooney factory in Kerrville, Texas, due to the need for its compliance with a rivet Service Bulletin, Mooney Service Bulletin No. M20-273. During the period it was at Mooney's repair facility, it had been given an annual inspection, and was returned to service on October 25, 2000. According to personnel at Henry Weber Aircraft Distributors, the aircraft had last been serviced by them on January 30, 2001, when they examined it for a reportedly rough running engine. A representative of Henry Weber's stated that they did not find any problems with the aircraft when they examined it, and at the time of its examination, its Hobbs meter read 250.9 hours.

N88FJ was equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550G, 280 horsepower fuel injected engine, whose serial number was 679412. The aircraft was also equipped with a 3-bladed propeller, man