Mooney M20J accident near Aberdeen, MS
On March 28, 2017, a Mooney M20J (airplane) was involved in an accident near Aberdeen, MS. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 28, 2017
- Place
- Aberdeen, MS
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.865°N, 88.499°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170328X31143
Official records · ERA17FA139
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Memorandum for Record - ATC Radar Notes: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 28, 2017, at 0615 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N643RJ, collided with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Monroe County Airport (M40), Aberdeen, Mississippi. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which was destined to Bruce Campbell Field Airport (MBO), Madison, Mississippi. The pilot and his passenger departed M40 about 0614 for the 1-hour flight to MBO, which was located about 130 miles to the southwest. GPS data indicated that, after departing runway 18, the airplane climbed and performed a slight left turn to a heading of about 178° magnetic at 417 ft mean sea level (msl) while still over airport property. The airplane then made a climbing right turn to a heading of 233° (approximately consistent with a direct heading toward MBO) and reached a maximum altitude of about 600 ft msl before entering a right turning descent. The airplane continued its descending turn until it impacted trees and terrain on a heading of about 318° about 2,500 ft west of the departure end of the runway. Video and audio from the airport security system showed dark night conditions at the time of the accident. It did not capture the airplane during takeoff due to the light and weather conditi
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after takeoff in dark night conditions for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
More accidents in MS
- Beech A36TC, May 16, 2016
- Cessna 336, Sep 15, 2004
- Piper PA-24-180, May 8, 1999
- Mooney M20C, Jul 30, 2005
- Beech A36, Dec 3, 1983
Browse: Mississippi · 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.
