Mooney M20 Safety Record

The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision making by continuing flight into known adverse weather conditions. Related factors were the dark night and the winter storm (snow and fog).

failure of the alternate air door, which resulted in blockage of air through the induction system. A factor relating to the accident was: failure to comply with Safety Bulletin SB-M20-253.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT CREW, AND THEIR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN, THE FLIGHT CREW'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A MISSED APPROACH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITION WITH A LOW CEILING AND RAIN.

the pilot's decision to exhaust the fuel supply in the selected tank in-flight, and his failure to maintain the minimum stall speed during engine out conditions. This resulted in a complete loss of engine power and the inadvertent stall and impact with the ground. A factor in this accident was the inadequate altitude in which the pilot exhausted the fuel.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING CLIMBOUT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

FAILURE OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH THE PROPER DESCENT PATH TO AN AIRPORT THAT WAS WITHIN THE GLIDE DISTANCE OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE OVERGROSS WEIGHT CONDITION OF THE AIRPLANE.

FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE FIRST PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO ASSURE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT BY REFERENCE TO THE INSTRUMENTS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE LEFT SEAT.

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNDESIRABLE ENGINE/PROPELLER VIBRATION, AND THE LOOSE CRANKCASE AND CYLINDER BASE NUTS.

POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND ICING CONDITIONS. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SELECTED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, DARK NIGHT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, resulting in the airplane impacting with the water. Also casual in this accident was the pilot's total lack of experience in this type of aircraft, and operations. A factor in this accident was the lack of visual reference with the horizon as result of the dark night.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY FROM A STALL.

THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN LIMITS (AIRSPEED AND/OR STRESS LIMITS) AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A DESCENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS (NIGHT OR LATE DUSK), THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO.

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRED JUDGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS, THAT RESULTED IN HIS CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT AT NIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM THE TERRAIN.

The pilot's inadequate inflight decision to conduct flight into known icing conditions and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors were icing conditions and the pilot's failure to follow the preflight briefing advisory.

THE PILOT'S VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING SERVICE, AND THE LOW CEILINGS AND FOG AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS DURING TAKEOFF, THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, AND HIS IMPROPER DECISION TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THERE WAS SUITABLE TERRAIN AHEAD FOR THE FORCED LANDING.