# NTSB SEA96FA175: Mooney M20E, N9360M, Purdy, WA, August 2, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: August 2, 1996, 01:19 local (08:19 UTC) - Place: Purdy, WA - Coordinates: 47.360382, -122.599388 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3604&lon=-122.5994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42283 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA96FA175 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42283/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96FA175 ## Probable cause The noninstrument-rated pilot's continuation of VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions which led to pilot spatial disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. Factors were: pilot self-induced pressure, night conditions, low ceilings, and the pilot's lack of total instrument time. ## Analysis The noninstrument-rated pilot wanted to return home to manage a bowling tournament. Since marginal visual flight rules (VFR) conditions were forecast for the following day, the pilot decided to leave that evening. After takeoff, flight service informed the pilot that weather conditions were deteriorating on the flight's planned route, but the pilot replied he would continue toward his destination. The aircraft subsequently passed east of Bremerton (which was reporting a 600-foot overcast ceiling) at 2,900 to 3,000 feet. Two minutes later, the aircraft entered a descending left turn to the east. In this turn, the aircraft's speed increased above never-exceed speed and its descent rate increased to 2,400 feet per minute before it disappeared from radar. Four seconds later, the pilot called air traffic control (ATC) for help, but no further transmissions were received. The aircraft crashed 1/2 mile northeast of the last radar position. Witnesses reported that the aircraft impacted in about a 45-degree descent angle, that the engine sounded normal, and that there was low cloud cover in the area. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 2, 1996, approximately 0119 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Mooney M20E, N9360M, registered to Eagle Flyers, Inc. of Ashland, Oregon, collided with terrain near Purdy, Washington. The aircraft was destroyed and the private pilot, who was not instrument-rated, and one passenger were killed. The 14 CFR 91 flight was en route from Friday Harbor, Washington to Medford, Oregon on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The automated weather observation system (AWOS) at Bremerton, Washington, the closest operating weather observation facility to the accident site, reported instrument meteorological conditions (a 600-foot overcast ceiling) at 0116. FAA air traffic service (ATS) records indicated that at 1354 on the afternoon before the accident, the pilot contacted the Seattle automated flight service station (AFSS) and requested an outlook weather briefing for a flight from Lopez Island, Washington, to Medford, Oregon, departing VFR between 0730 and 0800 the following morning. The briefing transcript indicated that the outlook at that time was for marginal VFR conditions in the morning. The pilot stated after receiving this information: "...I...may change my plans and go ahead leave out tonight...." At 1844 on the evening before the accident, according to the FAA ATS record, the pilot again contacted Seattle AFSS and requested an outlook briefing for a Lopez Island to Medford flight, departing VFR at 0730 the following morning. He was informed by the briefer that "it's not looking too good" and was told, "you're gonna have to contend with marginal v f r conditions and rain showers if you go tomorrow...if you wait until the next day it'll probably be a lot better." The pilot asked what the conditions would be between 2100 and 2300 that evening and was given a series of observations along his route; the briefer concluded these reports by saying, "so it's excellent now and it's not gonna change in the next couple a [sic] hours." The pilot replied, "well it sounds like [I'm] gonna because [I] need to be home by tomorrow afternoon so [I] think just gonna go out and bug out tonight then." (In a telephone conversation with the passenger's father on March 13, 1997, the passenger's father stated that the pilot, who owned a bowling alley, was returning to Oregon to run a major bowling tournament at the alley which was scheduled for the day on which the accident occurred.) The pilot was then given a route briefing, and filed a VFR flight plan, for a 2300 departure. The pilot indicated at this time that one person would be on board, according to the briefing transcript. He gave his planned route of flight as: Lopez Island to Whidbey Island, Washington; LOFAL intersection (approximately 7 nautical miles north of Poulsbo, Washington); Olympia, Washington; Newberg, Oregon; Eugene, Oregon; to Medford. At 2235, the pilot called Seattle AFSS and asked for an update to the weather conditions. The pilot was given the update and, upon inquiring if marginal VFR conditions were still forecast for the following morning, was told that they were. The pilot then amended his proposed departure time for the 2300 flight to midnight. At 0041, according to the FAA ATS record, the pilot contacted Seattle Radio (the radio call sign for Seattle AFSS) and activated his flight plan to Medford. Seattle Radio then informed the pilot that weather conditions in the Olympia area were deteriorating much faster than expected. The briefer relayed an automated observation from Olympia which reported an 800-foot broken ceiling with light rain, and a pilot report from an aircraft inbound from Medford to the Olympia/Tacoma Narrows area, which indicated that the pilot of that aircraft was "having a very difficult time maintaining v f r...he was dodging clouds around fifteen hundred feet and ah said that it was quite poor coming up [from Chehalis to Olympia]...." The pilot inquired about the possibility of getting above the clouds and was informed that the briefer did not have any information about cloud tops or about "being able to get above or between layers", but did report that there was an overcast layer with a base of 7,000 feet. The pilot replied: "okay roger well we'll ah we'll go down check it out if we don't like it we'll turn around and go back home." Air traffic control (ATC) information from the FAA indicated that the pilot contacted Seattle Approach Control at 0055 over the Port Townsend, Washington, area and reported an altitude of 2,500 feet, and was instructed to advise the controller prior to changing altitude. At 0112, approximately 5 nautical miles northeast of the Bremerton airport, the pilot asked for clearance down to 1,500 feet and was cleared to maintain a VFR altitude at his discretion. Approach control radar data indicated that between 0115:20 and 0118:29, as the aircraft passed approximately 5 to 6 miles east of the Bremerton airport, the aircraft climbed from 2,600 to 3,200 feet, proceeding on a generally southerly track. The radar data indicated that the aircraft then began a descending left turn. In this descending left turn, the aircraft's straight-line plot-to-plot average ground speed increased from 102 knots (the last ground speed computed for the aircraft in level flight heading south, at 3,200 feet) to a maximum of 181 knots (attained between 0118:43 and 0118:47), and was 174 knots between the final two radar plots. The aircraft's normal operating speed range, according to an aircraft flight manual recovered from the aircraft wreckage, is 70 to 150 MPH (61 to 130 knots) and its never-exceed speed is 189 MPH (164 knots.) The average descent rate between successive radar plots (based on altitude change versus time interval) also increased to its maximum computed value of 2,400 feet per minute between the final two plots. Calculation of aircraft performance parameters, based on radar data, further revealed that the aircraft's plot-to-plot average vertical flight path angle increased to its maximum of 7.75 degrees below horizontal, and the aircraft's plot-to-plot average horizontal rate of turn increased to 7.09 degrees per second, between the final two radar plots. The last position recorded on Seattle Approach Control's radar was at 0118:52 at an altitude of 2,700 feet. A transcript of communications between the pilot and approach control indicated that at 0118:56 (four seconds after the last Seattle Approach radar return), the pilot called: "seattle [sic] center this is mooney [sic] nine three six zero mike (unintelligible) some help right". In listening to a copy of the tape furnished by the FAA, it was noted that the pilot's voice pitch and speech rate were noticeably higher during the final transmission than during his previous transmissions. There were no further transmissions from the aircraft. The aircraft crashed in a residential yard approximately 1/2 mile northeast of the last Seattle Approach radar position. The accident site was approximately 6 nautical miles left of course, as compared to the route of flight filed by the pilot with Seattle AFSS. A Pierce County sheriff's deputy who was in the area at the time reported that he observed "what initially appeared as a meteor streaking down at an approx[imate] 45 [degree] angle....for a fraction of a second", then "a red/orange flash (appeared small) just prior to the trajectory of the streak reaching treetop level" followed by "a large red/orange fireball which extended above the treeline momentarily and then receded to an orange glow above the trees...." Another Pierce County sheriff's deputy, who lives just north of the accident site and had arrived at his home just before the accident, heard what he described as "a plane approaching from the south at an obviously low altitude." This deputy stated: "The engine sounded as though it was working properly and I noted no unusual noises nor did I detect any initial ex ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause) - self-induced pressure, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - aircraft control - uncontrolled, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9360M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9360M-1997-02-24), registration cancelled 1997-02-24, S/N 1292 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20E - Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1292 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Eagle Flyers Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 5, 1995 - Departed: FHR, FRIDAY HARBOR, WA - Destination: MFR, MEDFORD, OR - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; toxicology performed; flight hours: 124 total, 47 in this make and model, 64 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Night/dark - Wind: 210° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 600 ft overcast - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PWT, 8 nm away ## 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 19960802045319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960802045319A), Aug 2, 1996: Mooney M20E, Purdy, WA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Lost control entering clouds at dark night. VFR pilot. Indicates spiral dive to impact in a back yard. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.