Mooney M20A N1072B

Summary

On 9 September 2003 at about 18:40 local time, a Mooney M20A registered N1072B was involved in an accident near Rockford, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 September 2003 at 18:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Rockford, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

40.6961, -84.5767

Aircraft

Mooney M20A

Registration

N1072B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rockford → Rockford

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA198

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper altitude/clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a utility wire. The owner's improper decision to allow the airplane to be operated by an uncertificated pilot was also causal.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was owned by the pilot's father-in-law, who maintained a 1,400-foot grass runway at his residence. A witness observed the airplane circling above the runway. He stated that the airplane appeared to be attempting to land, when it struck a utility wire and descended into the ground. The witness added that he did not hear any "sputtering" or unusual engine noises prior to the accident. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire. Examination of airman certificate records revealed that the pilot did not posses any airman certificates. Both the pilot and owner failed to provide any information regarding the circumstances of the accident, or the airworthiness history of the airplane, despite requests by both the Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.