N1025C

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. About 5 seconds later, the airplane entered a climb from 1,481 ft msl while in a left turn toward west-northwest at 163 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS).

At 0902:22, the airplane was flying west at 133 KCAS and climbing 3,394 fpm. About 8 seconds later, the airplane was in a left turn toward southwest at 111 KCAS and climbing at 1,986 fpm.

At 0902:44, the airplane entered a climbing right turn toward north. At 0902:53, the airplane entered a descending right turn from a maximum altitude of 2,793 ft msl. About 15 seconds later, the airplane’s roll angle was about 80° right-wing-down as the airplane descended at 11,411 fpm in a right turn toward northeast.

At 0903:10, the final ADS-B data point, the airplane was flying at 211 KCAS as it descended 13,504 fpm with a 56° right-wing-down roll angle. According to the Mooney M20R Pilot Operating Handbook, the VNE for the airplane was 196 KCAS. The final track point was at 1,166 ft msl and about 255 ft east-northeast of the initial impact with the ground.

A witness reported seeing the airplane descend “nose first” into a grass field and wooded area near the soccer fields in Brandt-Quirk Park. The witness also reported there was a large explosion after the airplane impacted the ground.

Figure 1. Plot of airplane flight track data.

Figure 2. Plots of airplane altitude, ground speed, true airspeed, calibrated airspeed, and vertical speed.

Figure 3. Plots of airplane ground track, roll angle, and flight path angle. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s flight logbook was recovered at the accident site. The final logbook entry was dated May 15, 2023; based on postaccident calculations, the pilot had a total flight experience of 1,714.9 hours. Although the pilot routinely logged actual and simulated instrument flight time, the recovered logbook pages did not include a previously accumulated total instrument flight time parameter that could be used to calculate his total instrument flight experience.

According to the pilot’s son, the pilot was the only individual who flew the airplane. A postaccident review of ADS-B flight data associated with the airplane concluded that the pilot flew the airplane at least 26.1 hours during the year before the accident, 8.3 hours during the previous 6 months, 8.3 hours in the previous 3 months, and 5.7 hours during the month before the accident. The pilot flew at least 4.5 hours after his final logbook entry; when combined with his flight logbook information the pilot had a total flight experience of about 1,719.4 hours.

On October 4, 2022, the pilot completed his last flight review and instrument proficiency check (IPC) in the airplane. According to the pilot’s flight logbook, during the 6 months following his last IPC he routinely logged the entirety of the flight as simulated instrument time and having completed one instrument approach every flight. However, the logbook entries did not provide the location and type of each instrument approach, nor the name of the individual who acted as the safety pilot while the pilot flew the airplane under simulated instrument conditions as required by 14 CFR 61.51. As such, the pilot’s recent instrument flight experience could not be adequately assessed with the available logbook evidence. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe accident site was located in between two low-level troughs with the low-level wind flow moving across the area from the Great Lakes region increasing the low-level moisture. In addition, the surface winds were light, creating an environment favorable for the formation of low clouds and fog. The weather station at the departure airport reported a calm wind, visibility of 5 miles, and a 300 ft agl overcast ceiling at the time of the accident.

The weather forecast information applicable for the accident time indicated that Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) Sierra for IFR conditions due to precipitation and mist was valid for the site at the accident time. The Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) applicable to the accident site and that were valid when the flight departed indicated low instrument flight rules (LIFR) to IFR conditions and a north wind of 5 knots. The GFA cloud forecast indicated broken-to-overcast clouds with bases about 1,000 ft msl and cloud tops about 3,000 ft msl.

A review of weather satellite imagery and High-Resolution Rapid Refresh models noted cloud tops around 6,500 ft msl. However, several pilot reports located around the site and within 90 minutes of the accident reported cloud tops between 3,000 ft msl and 3,800 ft msl.

A search of archived information established that the pilot filed a flight plan with Leidos Flight Service before the flight departed, but he did not request any weather information from Leidos. Although the pilot had a registered account with ForeFlight, an online service that can provide weather information, there was no recorded activity for his account on June 13-14, 2023. Based on the available information, it is unknown what weather information, if any, the pilot checked or received before or during the flight.

A GoPro Hero 8 device was recovered from the wreckage and its contents were reviewed by the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory. The last file written to the device’s memory card was a photo, shown as figure 4, that captured the airplane’s right wing as seen through the right passenger window. Additionally, the photo showed that there were significant clouds that obstructed the view of the ground and were consistent with IMC. Based on the file metadata, the photo was captured at 0903:01, about 0.35 nm southwest of the accident site, at a GPS altitude of 2,297 ft.

Figure 4. GoPro Hero 8 photo captured at 0903:01 WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe initial impact point was a concrete curb and asphalt road in Brandt-Quirk Park. The wreckage debris path projected to the east. The initial impact included multiple propeller strike gouges and linear scratches in the asphalt road. The main wreckage was in a wooded area situated along a creek about 260 ft from the initial impact point.

There were multiple areas of turf and tree foliage that exhibited evidence of fuel blight and/or fire. The local fire department reported several small fires after the accident. Most of the airplane wreckage was in a wooded area on the east side of the creek. The left wing separated from the fuselage near the wing root and was found relatively intact. The highly fragmented components of the cabin, cockpit, seats, aft fuselage, empennage, and right wing were found scattered throughout the wooded area on the east side of the creek.

The engine separated from the fuselage and was in a grass field about 333 ft east of the initial impact point. Both main landing gear wheels/tires/brake assemblies were also located in the grass field. The farthest component along the wreckage debris path was part of the engine starter motor assembly, which was about 739 ft east of the initial impact point.

A wreckage layout confirmed that all major structural components were accounted for at the accident site. The ailerons, flaps, rudder, elevator, and speed brakes were identified. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to extensive impact-related damage. The recovered flight control push-pull tubes were highly fragmented and exhibited overstress features that were consistent with impact-related damage. The landing gear linear actuator jackscrew was fully exposed, consistent with a retracted landing gear position at impact.

The engine exhibited extensive impact-related damage that prevented the crankshaft from being rotated. The upper crankcase exhibited a large crack between cylinder Nos. 2 and 3. Three of the six cylinder heads separated during impact. The remaining three cylinder heads exhibited extensive impact-related damage. There were numerous cylinder head fragments recovered from the debris path. There were multiple intake and exhaust valves found separated from their respective cylinder heads. All six pistons remained in their respective cylinders. The propeller flange and crankshaft exhibited features consistent with an overload separation. All engine accessories separated from the engine crankcase during impact. Portions of the left and right magnetos exhibited extensive impact-related damage and could not be tested. The engine-driven fuel pum...