Mooney M20C accident near Glenwood Sprngs, CO
On March 11, 2002, a Mooney M20C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Glenwood Sprngs, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 11, 2002
- Place
- Glenwood Sprngs, CO
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.717°N, 107.217°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020321X00377
Official records · DEN02FA030
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 10, 2002, at 2019 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N1323D, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain about 16 miles north-northeast of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated at Kremmling, Colorado, approximately 1946, and was en route to Grand Junction, Colorado. According to a friend of the pilot who lived in Kremmling, she received a telephone call from him some time after 1700. He told her that his wife had left for Washington State to be with their daughter who was expecting a child soon, and he was hoping to fly over from Grand Junction that evening to see her. Approximately 1850, she received another telephone call from the pilot, telling her he was at the Kremmling Airport. She drove to the airport and, according to her statement, they sat in her car and made plans for the coming weekend. He told her that his trip from Grand Junction had been "pretty smooth" and his speed had been 125 mph, increasing to about 200 mph as he descended over the mountains. Prior to his departure, the pilot preflighted his airplane as "he always did." She said that he was in "a very good mood," and happy about being able to see her that weekend. She said he departed Kremmling between 1930 and 2000 to return to Grand Junction., When the pilot failed to arrive in Grand Junction, FA
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation, resulting in a collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of an instrument rating and the dark night conditions.
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Browse: Colorado · 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.
