# NTSB WPR25FA126: Mooney M20F, N7026V, Reliance, TN, April 11, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: April 11, 2025, 14:02 local (18:02 UTC) - Place: Reliance, TN · USFS wilderness area - Coordinates: 35.263383, -84.50353 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2634&lon=-84.5035&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Lycoming - NTSB case key (mKey): 200001 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25FA126 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200001/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA126 ## Preliminary report On April 11, 2025, about 1402 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N7026V, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Reliance, Tennessee. The pilot, pilot-rated passenger and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Preliminary ADS-B data showed that the airplane departed Lovell Field Airport (CHA), Chattanooga, Tennessee, about 1345, with an intended destination of Burlington/ Alamance Regional Airport (BUY), Burlington, North Carolina. Shortly after departure, the airplane turned to the northeast towards Ocoee-Cherokee National Forest. About 13 minutes after departure, radar contact was lost, and an alert notice (ALNOT) was issued about 3 minutes later (see figure 1). The wreckage was located by local fire and rescue about 2 hours the ALNOT was issued. Figure 1: Preliminary ADS-B data plotted on Google Earth overlay Witnesses at Chilhowee Glider Port (9A2), Benton, Tennessee, which is located about five nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported that they encountered strong, gusting winds about one hour prior to the accident. They stated that they were compelled to park multiple aircraft and observed debris and garbage blowing across their runway. Additionally, they stated that a “weather cell” with precipitation was observed in the general vicinity of the accident site about the time of the accident. The airplane impacted heavily wooded terrain about 38 nautical miles northeast of CHA, at an elevation of about 1,760 ft msl. The first point of contact was identified by broken pine limbs and tree strikes. The wreckage came to rest on sloped terrain, in between white pine trees. The engine, propeller, both wings, fuselage, and empennage were found within the main wreckage which spanned about 60 ft by 30 ft. The fuselage and cockpit area were fragmented. The left wing was separated at the wing root and came to rest about five ft from the fuselage. The right wing came to rest against a tree above the engine and propeller, which were embedded within terrain. Both elevators were separated from the horizontal stabilizers and located within about 400 ft of the main wreckage. The left elevator was torn into 2 pieces, and the right was torn into 3 pieces. The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7026V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7026V), registered now, S/N 22-1373, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F - Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-1373 - Year built: 1976 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Clear Ayr LLC - Registered owner: Clear Ayr LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CHA, Chatanooga, TN - Destination: BUY, Burlington, NC - Flight plan: IFR ## Weather - Wind: 210° at 16 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KCHA - METAR: METAR KCHA 102153Z 21016KT 10SM -TSRA SCT065CB SCT080 BKN100 BKN250 17/08 A2997 RMK AO2 PK WND 30035/2106 SLP146 RAB08E19B43 TSB16 OCNL LTGIC SE-S TS SE-S MOV SE P0000 T01720083= ## 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 20250411004329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250411004329A), Apr 11, 2025: Mooney M20F, Reliance, TN, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Accident aircraft departed from kcha at 17:44Z on an IFR flight plan to kbuy with 3 souls on board. 2 rated pilots and 1 passenger. The accident aircraft… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; 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.