Mooney M20R accident near Leesburg, VA
On March 21, 2003, a Mooney M20R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Leesburg, VA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 21, 2003
- Place
- Leesburg, VA
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.097°N, 77.559°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030328X00412
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 20, 2003, about 1945 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20R single-engine airplane, N1005P, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while on final approach to Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO), Leesburg, Virginia. The certificated private pilot/owner was fatally injured. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG), Youngstown-Warren, Ohio, about 1820. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Several witnesses observed and heard the airplane. According to one witness, a student pilot, he was in his truck, stopped at a traffic light, when he first observed the airplane above and to the left of his position. The witness said the airplane appeared to be turning onto a 1-mile final, when it suddenly made a 60-degree right bank and started a right turn. The airplane stayed in the bank for about 5 seconds, then rolled into a 60-degree left bank. The airplane then rolled wings level, "suddenly" pitched over, and the nose of the airplane "went straight down" toward the ground. It did not spin. The witness also said it was night, there was a light drizzle, and it was not windy. He did not see the airplane fly through any clouds or fog. A second witness, who was standing in the backyard of a townhouse about a mile from the end of the runway, said that the airplane passed directly over his head about 25-30 feet above the townhouse. The airplane's engine was not operating, and all he heard was
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach for undetermined reasons.
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
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Browse: Virginia · 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.
