BETHANY, OK, USA
N3514X
MOONEY M20F
DURING A NIGHT VFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE START A TURN TO BASE LEG AND THEN SPIN INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT AND THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED IN CHESTER, SC ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS PILOT'S LICENSE ON MARCH 24, 1990, HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE TO SOUTH CAROLINA ON MARCH 28, 1990, AND WAS ON HIS WAY BACK TO ARIZONA TO VISIT HIS SICK FATHER. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLYING TIME WAS 106 HOURS, OF WHICH 6.7 HOURS HAD BEEN FLOWN AT NIGHT.
LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHEN THE PILOT STALLED AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY WHILE TURNING TO THE BASE LEG. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING TIME.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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