Mooney M20C accident near Cashiers, NC
On March 14, 2019, a Mooney M20C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cashiers, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 14, 2019
- Place
- Cashiers, NC
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.063°N, 83.154°W
- NTSB ID
- 20190315X92308
Official records · ERA19FA130
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Audio File N6075q Ztl R18 03-14-19 2140-2250z 19-001-Ztl: Audio recording (WAV), on ntsb.gov
- Audio File N6075q Ztl R49 03-14-19 2113-2317z 19-001-Ztl: Audio recording (WAV), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Specialist Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Memorandum Of Record - ATC Audio Communication N6075q: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- FAA Summary Of Radio Communications: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 14, 2019, about 1815 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N6075Q, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Cashiers, North Carolina. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and a commercial vendor, the pilot obtained a weather briefing the night before the flight and filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed Knoxville Downtown Island Airport (DKX), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 1724 and was destined for Aiken Regional Airport (AIK), Aiken, South Carolina. After departure, the airplane was observed on radar climbing on course to AIK. About 1743, the pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) and reported level at 9,000 ft. The controller issued the Knoxville altimeter setting. About 1758, the controller contacted the pilot and asked, “are you alright up there it looks like you took a pretty good turn.” The pilot responded, “I’m correcting now.” About 1800, the controller cleared the pilot direct to AIK, and the pilot read back the clearance. About 1802, the controller told the pilot that it appeared he was “over correcting to the left” and asked the pilot if he had lost his altimeter; the pilot responded he had lost his attitude indicator and then clarified, “artificial horizon.” About 1805, the controller asked the pilot, “are you in the clouds there” and “is that attitude being out ah gonna be an issue for you?” The pilot responded that he was in
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its associated instruments.
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Browse: North Carolina · 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.
