PARADISE VALLEY, AZ, USA
N11578
MOONEY M20J
THE PILOT PICKED UP THE NEW AIRCRAFT FROM THE FACTORY AT KERRVILLE, TEXAS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS FERRYING THE PLANE TO HIS HOME IN NEW JERSEY BY WAY OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. HE DECLINED AN OFFER TO BE CHECKED OUT IN THE PLANE AND DEPARTED KERRVILLE AT ABOUT 1700 CST. ABOUT FIVE HOURS LATER, HE LANDED AT PHOENIX, ARIZONA AND REFUELED. HE DEPARTED PHOENIX AT ABOUT 2212 ON A MOONLESS NIGHT. DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE STAGE III TRSA, THE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE NORMAL UNTIL RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AT 2217 MST. AT 2220 MST, THE PLANE CRASHED ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. A NON-RATED WITNESS WITH ABOUT 35 HOURS FLIGHT TRAINING REPORTED THAT THE PLANE CRASHED WHILE IN A SPIN. THE WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE UNTIL IMPACT. RADAR TRACK DATA VERIFIED THAT THE GROUND SPEED SLOWED FROM 111 KNOTS TO THE SEVENTIES WITH EXCURSIONS TO THE SIXTIES BEFORE A RAPID DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH LITTLE OR NO FORWARD MOVEMENT. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED NO FAILURE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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