EL PASO, TX, USA
N201TH
MOONEY M20J
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AT 4380 FT MSL. THE PLT HAD CALLED THE CONTROL TOWER IN EL PASO AND ADVISED THAT HE WAS AT 8500 FT AND WOULD HAVE TO START DESCENDING DUE TO WEATHER IN THE AREA. THE PLT WAS VFR AND NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. HE WAS ADVISED OF GROUND ELEVATIONS IN THE AREA OF 4500 FT AND ADVISED TO REMAIN VFR. ABOUT 4 MINUTES LATER RADIOAND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 3 HOURS LATER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ABOUT A 25-30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN AND RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILETRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IT BOUNCED AND TRAVELED ABOUT 100 YARDS BEFORE 2ND IMPACT WHERE IT ROLLED INVERTED. ALTHOUGH THE PLT HAD ABOUT 1300 HOURS TOTAL FLYING TIME HE HAD ONLY FLOWN 7 HOURS IN THE LAST 9 YEARS. THE ACCIDENT ACFTHAD JUST BEEN BOUGHT BY THE 59 YEAR OLD PLT. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES PRIOR TO IMPACT. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED LIGHT RAIN & SNOW FLURRIES IN THE AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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