Pilot Debrief

Mooney M20C near Flower Pot, AZ — 2019-12-08

Final reportCEN20FA034
Sign in to save
Date
2019-12-08
Location
Flower Pot, AZ, USA
Aircraft
Mooney M20C
Registration
N5557Q
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to initiate and continue the visual flight rules flight into an area of forecast instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control. Contributing was the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience.

Contributing factors

Contributing was the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience.

NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated private pilot received two separate weather briefings before departing on the accident flight. During both briefings, he was informed of an AIRMET for mountain obscuration along his intended route of flight. During the second briefing, he was also informed that there was an AIRMET for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) that included the intended route of flight. The pilot then departed on the cross-country flight and was witnessed flying at very low altitude below an overcast cloud layer. Witnesses captured photographs of the airplane as it flew over their car and stated that it appeared to be following the road. One of the photographs showed that the airplane was about 227 ft above the ground and showed low clouds and obscuration of the mountain peaks in the background. There were no witnesses to the accident. Radar track data ended about 23 miles from the accident site but showed the airplane flying between 250 and 1,600 ft above the terrain for the portions of the flight that were captured. Postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, propeller, and control system did not reveal any preimpact anomalies. Based on the available evidence, the accident was the result of the pilot's decision to initiate the flight in poor weather conditions, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions. The non-instrument rated pilot was unable to maintain situational awareness, lost control of the airplane, and impacted the ground.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Spatial disorientation
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to avoid flight in low visibility conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 13 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents13

Related mishaps