Mooney M20K N1148V

Summary

On 17 March 2004 at about 01:03 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N1148V, operated by Paul Tobias, was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 March 2004 at 01:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Monica (SMO)

Coordinates

34.0150, -118.4375

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N1148V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul Tobias

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

MammothYosemite → Santa Monica

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04FA162

2 people died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control while maneuvering due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the low ceiling, reduced visibility (fog), and the pilot's lack of instrument flying currency. An additional factor was the failure of air traffic control personnel to follow established Federal Aviation Administration directives to disseminate updated weather information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an attempted missed approach in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the airplane descended into a residence. The pilot had successfully completed a flight review 10 days before the accident flight. During the review the pilot flew his airplane about 2 minutes under simulated instrument flight conditions. No other evidence of instrument flying was found during the preceding 6 months. The accident occurred while the pilot was returning home following a vacation. As the pilot approached the airport, a fog bank moved in and the local weather conditions deteriorated. The VOR/GPS circling instrument approach procedure for the airport lists a minimum descent altitude of 680 feet mean sea level (msl), with a 1-mile minimum visibility requirement. The overcast ceiling was 400 feet above ground level (597 feet msl), and the visibility was 1 mile as the flight entered the terminal area. Near the time that the pilot received his instrument approach clearance, the visibility decreased to 1/2-mile and the ceiling lowered to 200 feet above ground level (agl) (397 feet msl); however, that information was not disseminated to the pilot by either the tower or approach controller, contrary to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) internal directives. The pilot's approach was monitored by both the radar approach controller, and by the local tower controller on the tower's digital bright radar indicator (DBrite). Radar data showed that the airplane was consistently left of course and the local tower controller advised the pilot of that fact and asked him if he was correcting back. About 0.4 miles from the runway's end, the pilot advised the controller that he was going around. The pilot failed to adhere to the published missed approach procedure. During the next 1 to 2 minutes, the radar data showed the airplane making 360 degree turns about 0.5 miles from the runway until descending with what ground witnesses described as increasingly steep angles of bank into a house. The airplane was certificated and equipped for flight into IMC. Examination of the wreckage found no evidence of any mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.