Pagosa Springs, CO, USA
N6466U
MOONEY M20C
The noninstrument-rated pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. There was no record that the pilot received a weather briefing from any official source before the flight. However, before departure, the pilot telephoned the fixed-based operator (FBO) at the destination airport to reserve a rental car. The FBO manager advised the pilot not to attempt the flight due to inclement weather in the area; the conditions included heavy snow and poor visibility. The pilot stated he was "a professional pilot" and that he would be flying into the airport that day. The FBO manager reported that, as the airplane was approaching the airport, he received a "scratchy unintelligible transmission" over the Unicom frequency. A few minutes later, he heard another transmission from the same source and the word "Mooney." Shortly thereafter, the FBO heard a clear transmission from the pilot indicating that he was 10 miles south of the airport. He then advised the pilot that the weather conditions were "100 [ft] overcast and a quarter-mile visibility in snow." The FBO manager reported that, shortly later, he went outside and heard an airplane approaching and then circling to the south and that he estimated that the airplane was "probably below 1,000 feet" above ground level. Shortly thereafter, the pilot called the Unicom frequency and asked if the runway lights were at their highest intensity setting. The FBO manager confirmed that they were and asked the pilot what his intentions were. The pilot replied, "I need to get out of the weather." No further communications were received from the pilot. Air traffic control radar showed that the airplane was southeast of the airport at 9,100 ft mean sea level at the last radar point, and the wreckage was located in mountainous terrain. An examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies. The pilot's improper decision to fly to the destination airport and into known meteorological conditions likely resulted in his controlled flight into mountainous terrain.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On Friday, November 14, 2014, about 1730 Mountain Standard Time (MST), a Mooney M20C, N6466U, collided with trees in mountainous terrain near Stevens Field (PSO), Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Moriarty Airport (0E0), Moriarty, New Mexico, and was destined for PSO. The pilot and his passenger were en route to Pagosa Springs to go skiing. There is no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing from any official source. Prior to departure from 0E0, the pilot telephoned the fixed based operator (FBO) at PSO to reserve a rental car. He said he had never flown into PSO before, and the FBO advised the pilot not to attempt the flight due to inclement weather in the area. The pilot stated he was "a professional pilot" and that he would be flying into PSO that day. The FBO gave the pilot the telephone number for Enterprise Car Rental. The pilot called the rental car agency and reserved an automobile, stating he would be arriving about 1700. The rental car agent also advised the pilot of the inclement weather, and the pilot repeated his intention to fly to PSO that day. Approximately 1645, the FBO manager said he heard a "scratchy unintelligible transmission" on the PSO Unicom. A few minutes later, he heard another transmission from the same source, picking up the word, "Mooney." About 1655, the manager heard a clear transmission from the pilot, who said he was 10 miles south of PSO. The FBO manager advised the pilot that the weather conditions were "100 overcast and a quarter-mile visibility in snow." Approximately 1700, the manager, other FBO personnel, and a pilot went outside and heard an airplane approaching. The manager said he then heard the airplane circling south and estimated it was "probably below 1,000 feet" above ground level (agl). Shortly thereafter, the pilot called PSO Unicom and asked if the runway lights were at their highest intensity setting. The FBO manager confirmed that they were. The FBO manager asked the pilot what his intentions were and the pilot responded, "I need to get out of the weather." No further communications were received. At 1923 that evening, the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) contacted the Archuleta County Sheriff's Department's Division of Emergency Management and reported the airplane was missing. In addition, the New Mexico State Police received a call from the Albuquerque (NM) Police Department reporting the same details because the passenger, a teacher, had failed to show up for class. A search was initiated and on November 19, at 1237, the wreckage was located by ground teams. PERSONNEL (CREW) INFORMATION The pilot, age 59, held a private pilot certificate, dated April 7, 2011, with an airplane single-engine land rating. He was not instrument rated and he did not possess a current medical certificate. The pilot applied for and was denied medical certification on October 22, 2014, for failure to provide FAA with requested reports (the pilot had a history of sleep apnea and alcohol and substance abuse). Examination of the pilot's log book found at the scene contained entries, starting on August 26, 1999, through February 21, 2005. He stopped flying on January 5, 2002, and then he made one flight in 2003 and five additional flights in 2004. In 2005, the pilot made two additional flights before flying the accident airplane. Eight flights in N6466U were noted in the logbook. No dates were given and the logbook entries stopped on February 21, 2005. The logbook indicated the pilot had logged no less than 227.4 hours total flight time. He purchased N6466U on January 29, 2011, and had logged no less than 15.7 hours in the airplane. When the pilot applied for medical certification on October 22, 2014, he estimated he had logged 204 flight hours and 0 hours in last six months. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N6466U (serial number 2213), a model M20C, was manufactured by the Mooney Aircraft Corporation, Kerrville, Texas, in 1962. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1D engine (serial number L-9035-36A), rated at 180 horsepower, driving a Hartzell 2-blade, all metal, constant speed propeller (model number HC-C2YK-1BF, serial number CH20348). According to the maintenance records, an annual inspection was performed on the airframe and engine on February 15, 2014, at a tachometer tome of 3,870.2 hours. At that time, the airframe and engine had accumulated 4,628.28 and 5,229.0 hours total time, respectively. The engine had accrued 1,733.0 hours since major overhaul. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The National Weather Service (NWS) Office in Grand Junction, Colorado, issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow with 8 to 14 inches of snow accumulation, westerly wind 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph above 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl), and poor visibility due to the combination of snow, fog, and drifting and blowing snow. Aeronautical Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu, issued between 1345 MST and 1641 MST, indicated instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions with precipitation and mist, mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence between the surface and flight level 35,000 (FL350), and moderate icing conditions between the freezing level and FL200 (with the freezing level between the surface and 10,000 feet msl). At 1655, the KPSO Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) reported the following weather conditions: Wind, calm; visibility, one-half mile in light snow; ceiling, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 1 degree Celsius (C.); dew point, 1 degree C.; altimeter, 29.92 inches of mercury. At 1659, the KPSO AWOS reported the following weather conditions: Wind, calm; visibility, one-half mile in light snow; ceiling, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 1 degree C.; dew point, 1 degree C.; altimeter, 29.93 inches of mercury. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The main body of wreckage contained all of the primary structural components and flight control surfaces with the exception of the left and right wingtips, which were found approximately 60 and 30 feet away, respectively. Flight control continuity to the wings and tail sections could not be confirmed due to impact damage. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) remained in its bracket in the tail section of the airplane and was connected to the antenna. The ELT was observed in the "off" position. The ELT had "March 2014" marked on the exterior in permanent marker. A functional test of the ELT in the "on" position revealed the ELT was transmitting an emergency signal on the 121.5 frequency. The batteries inside the ELT had an expiration date of March 2014. A cooler containing bottles of beer and a 1.75 liter bottle of vodka were found in the wreckage. Additionally, marijuana was found during the examination of the pilot and passenger's personal effects. The marijuana was given to the Archuleta County Sheriff for disposition. The engine was examined after the accident. No anomalies were found. There were, however, indications of improper maintenance performed on the engine to include; silicon rubber gasket compound used on the oil pan, the propeller had not been safety wired, cotter pins instead of safety wire were used to secure the oil pump, and two "no blow" exhaust gaskets had been installed on the number 4 cylinder exhaust flange. The propeller bore signatures consistent with rotation at impact. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION Postmortem examinations of the decedents were performed at Community Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, on November 22, 2014, by Dr. Robert A. Kurtzman, D.O. The examinations revealed "multiple injuries consistent with the reported circumstances [of an airplane accident]. (There were) no other significant findings. The injuries were instantly fatal." A toxicology screen performed on the pilot revealed no ethanol in muscle or liver tissue, and no drugs were detected in liver tissue. There were insufficient specimens submitted for carbon monoxide testing. Cyanide testing was not performed. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Radar data, beginning at 1709:26 MST (0009:26 UTC), showed the airplane was just west of PSO at 9,400 feet msl. The next plot, at 1710:42, showed the airplane to be in a left turn at 9,500 feet msl. At 1716:37, the airplane was over the town of Pagosa Springs at 9,400 feet and turning towards the southeast. The last radar contact was when the airplane was southeast of the airport, over the San Juan National Forest, at 9,100 feet. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Federal Aviation Administration and Lycoming Engines were parties to the investigation. The engine was released to the Pagosa Springs airport manager on December 9, 2015.
The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to fly to the destination airport and into known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his controlled flight into mountainous terrain during a snow storm.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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