- Date
- September 9, 2003, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Rockford, OH
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1072BMooney M20A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20030909023129A
- Case key
- 57902
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 the proper altitude/clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a utility wire. The owner's improper decision to allow the airplane to be operated by an uncertificated pilot was also causal.
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
The airplane was owned by the pilot's father-in-law, who maintained a 1,400-foot grass runway at his residence. A witness observed the airplane circling above the runway. He stated that the airplane appeared to be attempting to land, when it struck a utility wire and descended into the ground. The witness added that he did not hear any "sputtering" or unusual engine noises prior to the accident. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire. Examination of airman certificate records revealed that the pilot did not posses any airman certificates. Both the pilot and owner failed to provide any information regarding the circumstances of the accident, or the airworthiness history of the airplane, despite requests by both the Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 2003, about 1440 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20A, N1072B, was destroyed when it struck utility wires and impacted the ground, while on approach to land at a private airstrip in Rockford, Ohio. The uncertificated pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was owned by the pilot's father-in-law, who maintained a 1,400-foot grass runway at his residence.
A witness observed the airplane circling above the runway. In a written statement, the witness stated:
"[The airplane] flew low over the pond like he wanted to land, then circled back north around/over the woods. He then came back over the hill of the golf course just north and west of the landing strip. It looked like he was trying to land. I then saw the plane hit the utility wire and nose dive into the ground. All the wires were shaking...."
The witness added that he did not hear any "sputtering" or unusual engine noises prior to the accident.
The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Examination of airman certificate records by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any certificate information for the pilot.
Both the pilot and owner failed to provide any information regarding the circumstances of the accident, or the airworthiness history of the airplane, despite requests by the Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The pilot did not respond to two letters from the Safety Board which requested he complete an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1072B
- Reported as
- Mooney M20A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1299
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry L. Now
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Rockford, OH
- Destination
- Rockford, OH
- Airport
- NONE · Private
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
- 42
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- AOH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.