GLADEWATER, TX, USA
N201AV
MOONEY M20J
THE PILOT DEPARTED INTO LOW OVERCAST CLOUDS (ABOUT 200 FOOT CEILING) WITH ONE TO TWO MILES VISIBILITY IN LIGHT RAIN AND FOG. HE DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN ALTHOUGH HE WAS INSTRUMENT RATED. HIS CURRENCY FOR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS ARE UNKNOWN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENTERING THE CLOUDS THE PILOT INITIATED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN OF ABOUT 150-160 DEGREES. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE OF 60-75 DEGREES AND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE CLIMBING LEFT TURN IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENTERING THE CLOUDS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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