Mooney M20J N5698L

Summary

On 4 August 1998 at about 13:00 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N5698L, operated by Charles E. Woodson, was involved in an accident near Centennial, Wyoming, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 August 1998 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Centennial, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

41.2991, -106.1095

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N5698L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Charles E. Woodson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Longmont → Oakland

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98FA354

1 person died.

The pilot's disregard of information provided in weather briefs, and his flight into known adverse weather in mountainous terrain which resulted in an in-flight collision with a mountain. Factors were rain and low ceiling/visibility.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot was on a visual flight rules cross-country flight in mountainous terrain. The weather conditions were instrument meteorological conditions with the mountain tops obscured by clouds and visibility below the clouds limited by heavy rain. The pilot had received a weather briefing from Flight Service and a weather update from Flight Watch, and in both briefings he was advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to the mountains being obscured by clouds. The aircraft struck a mountainside at 10,400 feet above sea level. Witnesses heard the aircraft but could not see it due to weather conditions. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. After a three day search, the aircraft was located by sheriff's deputies with assistance from the Civil Air Patrol.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.