Mooney M20C accident near Sparta, TN
On November 15, 1997, a Mooney M20C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sparta, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 15, 1997
- Place
- Sparta, TN
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.930°N, 85.470°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09229
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 15, 1997, about 1630 central standard time, a Mooney M20C, N78952, registered to a private individual, collided with trees then the ground while descending near Sparta, Tennessee. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot was fatally injured. The passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier from the Crossville Memorial Airport, Crossville, Tennessee. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the flight departed on the first leg of the cross country flight on November 14, from the Johnson City Stolport, Johnson City, Tennessee, with slightly less than full fuel tanks. The flight landed uneventfully about 30-40 minutes later at the Knoxville Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville, Tennessee, where they remained overnight. At 1018.43, eastern standard time on November 15, the pilot contacted the Nashville Automated Flight Service Station ( BNA AFSS) and requested an abbreviated weather briefing for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight leaving immediately to Pine Bluff Arkansas. The pilot was advised that VFR was not recommended due in part to icing conditions in Knoxville and an advisory of instrument conditions in mountain obscurement. The briefer stated later that "...there's a improvement over in west Tennessee right now but it will be probably short lived...." The pilot then asked for a forecast between Knoxville and Pine Bluff and the briefer advise
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight and inflight decision and his inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors are self induced pressure, mountainous terrain, and low clouds.
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Browse: Tennessee · Mooney aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
