HOLDEN, MA, USA
N1170Z
MOONEY M20K
THE ACFT MADE A NIGHT INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE WITH A MAXIMUM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 4,000 FT. THE PLT FAILED TO FOLLOW HIS DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING ROUTING. HE CLIMBED TO 4,600 FT AND WHEN QUERIED, SAID HE WAS HAVING AUTOPILOT PROBLEMS. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. THE ACFT IMPACTED A LINE OF TREES AT A HIGH SPEED AND WAS EXTENSIVELY BROKEN UP. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER 450 FT. THE AUTOPILOT PROBLEM WAS NOT IDENTIFIED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF IMPACT DAMAGE; HOWEVER, NO PROBLEM WAS NOTED WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE PLT WAS CURRENT WITH INSTRUMENTS, BUT NOT FOR NIGHT FLIGHT. THE ACFT PITOT STATIC SYSTEM AND TRANSPONDER WERE BOTH OUT OF INSPECTION.
INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND CONTACT WITH TREES PRIOR TO REGAINING CONTROL AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN UNKNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOPILOT. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LACK OF RECENT NIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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