NYC08FA039

**Brief updated 1/5/2010**

After refueling, the instrument-rated pilot taxied to the end of runway 34, was issued a clearance to turn right on course, and was cleared for takeoff. The airplane leveled off over the runway, accelerated, and then climbed into an indefinite ceiling. After the takeoff, the pilot was issued a frequency change, which was acknowledged. However, the pilot was never heard to check in on the new frequency. The airplane was airborne for approximately 19 seconds and reached a peak altitude of 364 feet above field elevation. It impacted terrain approximately 3/4 of a mile northeast of the airport. The accident occurred during the hours of dusk. A weather observation taken about 6 minutes before the accident included a reported visibility of 1/4-mile in fog, and an indefinite ceiling at 100 feet above ground level. No evidence of any preimpact malfunctions of the airplane, engine, flight instruments, or autopilot were discovered. The circumstances of the accident and flight path of the airplane during the flight are consistent with spatial disoriention of the pilot.

History of flight

On November 20, 2007, at 1655 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20K, N252DD, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Maine, New York shortly after takeoff from Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM), Binghamton, New York. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight destined for Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to witness statements, after taking on fuel, the pilot taxied to the end of runway 34 and was observed to takeoff, level off over the runway, accelerate, and then climb up into an indefinite ceiling.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)air traffic control voice recordings, the pilot was issued a clearance to turn right on course and was then cleared for takeoff. After his departure, a frequency change was issued, and the change was acknowledged by the pilot. The pilot however, was never heard to check in on the new frequency.

According to FAA provided radar data, The airplane was airborne for approximately 19-seconds and was lost from radar approximately 3/4 of a mile northeast of the airport. Peak recorded altitude was 2000 feet above mean sea level, which was 364 feet above the airport elevation.

The accident occurred during the hours of dusk. The wreckage was located at 42 degrees, 13.726 minutes north latitude, 75 degrees, and 58.727 minutes west longitude, at an elevation of 1,370 feet msl.

Personnel information

According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine-land, and instrument airplane. He reported 1,500 total hours of flight experience on his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate, dated September 17, 2007.

Aircraft information

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1979. According to sales records, at the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 1,919 total hours of operation. The engine had been remanufactured, and had accrued 411 hours of operation.

Meteorological information

A weather observation taken about 2 minutes before the accident, included; wind at 280 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 1/4 mile in fog, ceiling indefinite at 100 feet, temperature 6 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 6 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury.

Airport information

According to the Airport Facility Directory, BGM was a public use airport. It had two runways, oriented in a 16/34, and 10/28 configuration. Runway 34 was grooved asphalt, in good condition. It was 7,100 feet long by 150 feet wide. The runway had precision markings that were in good condition. It was equipped with high intensity runway edge lights, a precision approach path indicator, a medium intensity approach lighting system with runway alignment indicator lights, and an ILS.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane came to rest in a wooded area on a magnetic heading of 118 degrees, 4,549 feet north-northeast of the departure end of runway 34, and 199 feet in elevation below it.

Multiple areas of burned underbrush along with the smell of fuel, was evident at the accident site. The debris path was 275 feet long and oriented on a magnetic heading of 118 degrees. The initial impact point was a tree strike located approximately 9-feet above ground level at the western edge of the debris field. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site.

Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions, structural failures, or in-flight fire, and the landing gear was in the retracted position prior to the impact.

The wreckage displayed heavy crush, fragmentation, and compression damage, and the engine had been separated from its mounts. The remains of the right wing were found near the beginning of the wreckage path, wrapped around a tree, with portions of the right aileron lying nearby. Approximately 20-feet further, portions of the pilot’s seat assembly were located resting against the base of tree in close proximity to the right flap, empennage, aft fuselage, left flap, left wing, and aileron.

Examination of the remains of the aft fuselage and empennage revealed that the empennage was almost completely separated from the aft fuselage. It was found inverted, with a portion of the upper rudder separated from its mounting location, and both elevators stripped from the horizontal stabilizer.

No preimpact failures or malfunctions of the primary or secondary flight controls were identified. Examination of the flight control system revealed impact damage and multiple fractures of the push-pull tubes that made up the system. The breaks in the flight control system were consistent with overload, and control continuity was confirmed from the ailerons, elevators, and rudder to the cockpit area. Continuity could not be established to the control yokes or rudder pedals due to fragmentation and crush damage. The wing flaps were found to be in the up (0-degree) position and both speed brakes were stowed.

Examination of the remains of the cockpit revealed that the cockpit had been fragmented, with evidence that the engine and firewall had been displaced into the pilot's instrument panel. Multiple portions of the forward fuselage, cockpit instruments, avionics, and seat assemblies were strewn throughout the debris path. Further examination of the remains of the instrument panel revealed that the mixture control was in the full rich position, the propeller control was set to high RPM, and both gyro assemblies from the vacuum driven flight command indicator (attitude indicator) and electric standby horizon exhibited rotational scoring.

The airplane was equipped with a 3-blade propeller. Examination of the propeller blades revealed impact damage, chordwise scratching, leading edge gouging and S-bending. All of the propeller blades remained attached to their hubs, however the pitch mechanism was broken internally.

The engine was discovered near the end of the debris path were it had come to rest inverted. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions. The sump had been sheared off the bottom of the case and fragmented, however, oil was present internally and was also present in the rocker boxes. The vacuum pumps and magnetos had separated from their respective mounts and the two magnetos as well as one recovered vacuum pump, exhibited impact damage. Internal examination of the recovered vacuum pump revealed that the blades were intact. Examination of both magnetos revealed that they were functional and both produced spark at all towers. The intake and exhaust systems were compromised and both exhibited multiple breaks, fragmentation, and missing tubing. The turbocharger exhibited impact damage and would not rotate, however, during visual examination of the impeller, evidence of rotational scoring was evident. The crankshaft was rotated by hand through the accessory pad, and no binding was noted. Thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders, with the exception of the No.1 cylinder, which exhibited damage to its exhaust pushrod, and No.5 cylinder, which exhibited impact damage and was missing a portion of its rocker box section. All sparkplugs were removed for examination. Their electrodes were light gray in color, with the exception of the top and bottom spark plugs of the No. 5 cylinder, which exhibited oil residue.

Examination of the fuel system revealed that all fuel filler caps were closed and latched. The No. 2, 4, and 6, fuel injectors were intact. The no. 1, 3, and 5 injectors were separated from their respective mounting locations and exhibited impact damage.Visual examination of the No. 2, 4, and 6 fuel inj