Mooney M20K N231KZ

Summary

On 19 March 2007 at about 23:15 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231KZ, operated by David B. Van Pelt, was involved in an accident near Marysville, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 March 2007 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Marysville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Yuba County Airport (MYV)

Coordinates

39.1075, -121.5717

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231KZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David B. Van Pelt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marysville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA079

1 person was seriously injured.

The failure of the pilot to maintain a proper glidepath while on final approach and his failure to maintain clearance, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with the runway's approach light standards. A factor was the approach light standards.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departing Runway 14 the pilot extended his downwind leg for an incoming airplane. After sighting the incoming traffic and turning onto final approach, the pilot observed an unlighted approach light bar immediately in front of him, which the airplane subsequently "clipped". The airplane then impacted two more light bar standards prior to impacting terrain and coming to rest upright about 1,000 feet from the approach end of Runway 14. The pilot stated that if he had not extended his downwind and had activated the pilot controlled lighting, the accident would have been avoided. The airplane's firewall and left wing sustained substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.