Mooney M20R accident near Watertown, WI

On June 14, 2023, a Mooney M20R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Watertown, WI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

June 14, 2023

Place

Watertown, WI

Aircraft

Mooney M20R · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

43.208°N, 88.749°W

NTSB ID

20230614192369

Official records · CEN23FA239

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• FAA ATC Accident Package (Excerpts): Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Remote Communications Outlet Instrument Clearance: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 14, 2023, about 0903 central daylight time, a Mooney M20R airplane, N1025C, was destroyed during an accident near Watertown, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan from Watertown Municipal Airport (RYV), Watertown, Wisconsin, direct to Manitowish Waters Airport (D25), Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin, with an enroute cruise altitude of 8,000 ft msl. The RYV airport had a remote communications outlet monitored by an individual who relayed the instrument clearance from Madison Approach Control to the pilot before the flight departed RYV. At 0853, the pilot was cleared direct D25, then told to climb and maintain 3,000 ft msl after takeoff and to expect 6,000 ft msl about 10 minutes after departure. According to ADS-B flight data, at 0900:46, the airplane was on initial climb from runway 5 at RYV, as depicted in figure 1. An airport surveillance video camera at RYV captured the airplane climbing wings level into an overcast ceiling. The RYV weather station reported an overcast ceiling at 300 ft above ground level (agl). Based on several pilot reports, the reported cloud tops were about 3,000 ft msl. At 0901:07, the airplane entered a climbing left turn toward west-northwest, as depicted in figures 2 and 3. At 0901:50, the airplane entered a descent from 1,734 ft msl while still in the left turn. At 0902:00, the airplane descended at 1,941 fpm with a 30° left-wing-down roll angle. Ab

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from the prohibited substance; however, the extent of impairment could not be determined.

More accidents in WI

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Browse: Wisconsin · Mooney aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.