NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 28, 2007, at 0921 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20J, N201VX, lost control during a missed approach and collided with the ground 1 mile south of the Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), Fort Myers, Florida. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the certificated private pilot was killed. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight from Boca Raton Airport, Florida to Southwest Florida International Airport, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Boca Raton Airport, Boca Raton, Florida, the same day, at 0829.

At 0913, the RSW approach controller advised the pilot that he was 4 miles from the MUFFE intersection, to descend and maintain 1,600 feet mean sea level (MSL) until established on the final approach course, and was cleared for instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 6, which the pilot acknowledged.

At 0915, the RSW approach controller advised the pilot that he was slightly high on final, and did he want a vector back around. The pilot responded that he was going to slow down and drop a little quicker; he also said that he was trying to do it by the numbers and was "screwing up." The controller advised the pilot that he did not want him to “rush down” and offered to give him vectors again. The pilot refused and said that he would just "descend a little quicker." Approach control advised the pilot to contact RSW tower personnel.

At 0916 the pilot contacted the RSW tower and reported that he was on the ILS runway 6 approach. The tower acknowledged and cleared the pilot for a low approach. At 0920, the pilot advised the control tower that he was “going around”, and the controller acknowledged. Shortly thereafter the airplane was observed on radar making a left climbing turn. It then entered a rapid descent, before its radar target disappeared. There were no further communications with the pilot.

Witnesses in the vicinity of the accident site reported that they observed the airplane enter a slow descending spin and crash into a wooded area. One witness reported that he was across the street from the accident site and heard the engine running as the airplane spun towards the ground. Other witnesses reported that the airplane descended below the tree line, before it was out of view.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot, age 51, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land, which was issued on May 29, 2002. The pilot’s certificate was updated on June 13, 2002, with an instrument rating. The pilot reported 1,450 flight hours on his last medical application. Review of the pilot’s medical certificate revealed that he held a third class medical certificate, which was issued on March 14, 2006, with a medical restriction "not valid for any class after." A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had logged 1,496.9 total flight hours, of which an undetermined amount were logged in the Mooney M20J . The pilot had logged 56.5 flight hours, which were flown in the last 90 days before the accident. The pilot's logbook also revealed that he had logged 179 total flight hours of actual instrument time, and 36.4 hours of simulated instrument time.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1977 as a three-seat, low-wing airplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200-horsepower engine.

Review of the engine logbook revealed that an annual inspection was conducted on the engine on April 20, 2007, at a tachometer of 3,234.1 hours. Review of the engine logbook revealed that the engine had accumulated a total time of 3,392.8 hours at the time of the inspection.

A review of the airframe logbook records revealed that the last altimeter and airplane pitot static system test, required by 14 CFR Part 91.411 for IFR flight, was performed on December 19, 2003. The regulation requires that the test be conducted every 24 calendar months in order for the airplane to be certified to operate in IFR conditions.

Further review of the logbook records revealed that the last transponder system test, required by 14 CFR Part 91.413 for IFR flight, was performed on December 19, 2003. The regulation requires the test be conducted every 24 calendar months in order for the airplane to be certified to operate in IFR conditions.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The RSW 0853 weather observation reported: winds 050 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 1.5 miles mist, 200 feet overcast, temperature 21 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 20 degrees C, and altimeter setting of 30.18 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in a heavily wooded area, about 2.2 miles southwest of RSW. Examination of the crash site revealed that a ground scar from a tree to the impact crater measured 21 feet. The impact crater was 1 foot deep, and 6 feet in width. The wreckage debris line was on a bearing of 209 degrees magnetic. The airplane was on a heading of 130 degrees magnetic. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site.

The nose section of the airplane was crushed aft to the firewall. The engine assembly remained attached to the engine mounts. The propeller assembly remained attached to the propeller flange. The propeller spinner was crushed and showed rotational scoring. All three-propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub. The nose gear was intact and in the extended position.

The cockpit area was crush aft into the fuselage. The instrument panel and instruments were destroyed. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position. The airplane’s flight controls were actuated by push-pull tubes which were extensively damaged during the impact. The empennage was partially separated from the fuselage. The vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly remained attached to the empennage. The right and left horizontal stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and both elevators were attached to the horizontal stabilizer.

The right wing received accordion crushing along the leading edge and the aileron to the wingtip was crushed and bent forward approximately 45 degrees. The right main fuel tank was ruptured and small traces of fuel were present in the fuel tank. All flight control surfaces were still attached to the wing assembly. The right main landing gear was in the extended position.

The left wing was accordion crushed along the leading edge of the wing and was bent aft. The left fuel tank was ruptured and an undetermined amount of fuel was found in the fuel tank. All flight control surfaces were still attached to the wing assembly. The left main gear was in the extended position.

Examination of the propeller revealed that the damage to the blades was consistent with impact forces. All three propeller blades exhibited bending, and chord-wise scarring.

Examination of the engine included partial disassembly. The valve covers were removed, and oil was noted throughout the engine. All of the spark plugs were removed, and the electrodes were intact. They were light gray in color, except for the bottom number 2 and number 4 spark plugs, which were oil soaked. The single-drive dual magneto unit was removed from the engine. Due to impact damage, the magneto could not be tested. The oil filter was removed and the oil filter screen did not contain any metallic contamination. The oil suction screen was also free of metallic contamination. The engine driven fuel pump remained intact, and discharged fuel when activated by hand. The fuel servo and fuel manifold also contained fuel, and the fuel servo screen was free of debris. The fuel lines contained fuel, and the fuel nozzles were clear. When the propeller was rotated by hand, camshaft, crankshaft, and valve train continuity was confirmed. Compression was also attained on all cylinders. A bore scope examination of the top end components revealed no anomalies. The airframe/engine induction air box was impact damaged. The induction air filter element was intact. The vacuum pump and vacuum lines were found impact damaged. The unit was impact damaged at the flange; however, the drive coupling and rotor was found intact.

At the conclusion of the on-site examination, no mechanical or flight control anomalies were found with the airplane.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the District Medical Examiner, District 21, Fort Myers, Florida, conducted the postmortem examination of the pilot, on November 29, 2007. The reported cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the Federal Aviation Administration Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report stated no ethanol was detected in the liver or muscle, and no drugs were detected in the liver.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular #60-4A: during periods of low visibility a pilot is particularly vulnerable to spatial disorientation.

NTSB Probable Cause

The reason for this occurrence was not determined.