INOLA, OK, USA
N526L
MOONEY M-20J
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED A NIGHT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LESSON AND ELECTED TO FLY HIS AIRPLANE HOME. HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO GET HIM TO DRIVE HOME BUT HE SAID NO, HE COULD MAKE IT. THE EXACT WX CONDITIONS HE ENCOUNTERED COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BUT THE AREA WAS UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AT THE TIME. THERE WERE NO RECORDS TO SHOW THE PILOT CONTACTED ANY COMMERCIAL OR GOVERNMENT WEATHER SERVICE. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A HIGH SPEED, DESCENDING LEFT TURN, TOWARD THE DIRECTION OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE, A FENCE AND FENCE POST, A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE, AND THE GROUND. ALL OF THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. NO PRE-IMPACT PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE, ENGINE, OR RELATED COMPONENTS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED IN VFR CONDITIONS. HE ALSO SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS OPERATIONAL ON THE AIRPLANE WHEN THEY FINISHED THEIR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LESSON.
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONDUCT THE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
