Mooney M20K N231GE

Summary

On 22 April 2006 at about 17:52 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231GE was involved in an accident near Columbus, Mississippi, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 2006 at 17:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Golden Triangle Regional (GTR)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231GE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Omaha

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06FA110

1 person died.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the pilot's improper decision to forgo suitable forced landing opportunities in an attempt to return to the airport.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after the single-engine airplane departed Runway 36, (a 6,497-foot-long by 150-foot-wide asphalt runway), the 2,410-hour commercial pilot informed air traffic control that the airplane's engine had experienced a "total power failure" and that he would be returning to the airport. The pilot elected to fly back across a four lane highway and an open field in an attempt to reach the airport. The airplane's right wing impacted a large oak tree, approximately 4,054 short of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground before coming to rest in an inverted position. There was no post impact fire and all major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. During the investigation it was revealed that the pilot had experienced a partial loss of engine power on his previous flight; a 585-nautical mile cross-country flight. After landing the pilot instructed an airframe and powerplant mechanic to perform a visual inspection of the engine in order to look for abnormalities. No anomalies were noted. The pilot then elected to return on the 585-nautical mile cross-country flight before having the engine further examined. The accident occurred while the pilot was initiating his return flight. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related components did not reveal any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.