Mooney M20K N305RJ

Summary

On 24 October 1997 at about 01:17 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N305RJ was involved in an accident near Emporia, Kansas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 October 1997 at 01:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Emporia, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Emporia Municipal (EMP)

Coordinates

38.4098, -96.1909

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N305RJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Farmington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI98FA022

3 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain an altitude above the minimum descent altitude for the approach. Factors contributing to this accident were the low ceiling, rain, and fog.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was on the second of a two leg IFR cross-country flight from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Emporia, Kansas, with an intermediate stop at Farmington, New Mexico. On contacting the Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the pilot was informed that Emporia weather was 10 miles visibility, and an overcast ceiling of 600 feet agl. At 1951 central daylight time (cdt), Kansas City ARTCC cleared the pilot for the VOR approach into the Emporia Municipal Airport. At 2002 cdt, the pilot reported that he was on the missed approach. The pilot requested another VOR approach. Kansas City ARTCC cleared the pilot for the approach, and told him to report 'established' on the approach. At 2014 cdt, the pilot reported that he was established inbound on the VOR approach. Kansas City ARTCC instructed the pilot to 'go over to advisory [frequency] and report cancellation on this frequency.' The pilot responded,' Okay, we'll go ahead and cancel IFR right now.' The airplane impacted the terrain, near Emporia Airport, at 2017 cdt. The pilot's logbook showed that he had 44.1 hours of actual instrument time. A pilot, who had departed the Emporia Airport at approximately 2000 cdt, described the weather as 'marginal, a ceiling of around 700 feet agl,' and the visibility as being 6 to 7 miles. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.