Mooney M20E N5727Q

Summary

On 26 July 2000 at about 23:05 local time, a Mooney M20E registered N5727Q was involved in an accident near Lunenburg, Massachusetts, 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

26 July 2000 at 23:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Lunenburg, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20E

Registration

N5727Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Parkersburg → Concord

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00FA210

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel supply.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot contacted a Flight Service Station at 1404, and requested weather information for a flight from Parkersburg, West Virginia to Lawrence, Massachusetts. The pilot was advised of low ceilings and reduced visibility near his destination. The pilot then told the weather briefer that he might have to divert around the weather. The pilot "topped off" the fuel tanks and departed PKB. Witnesses near the accident site heard a low flying airplane, followed by the sound of an impact. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, and no fuel was found in the fuel tanks. A trip sheet and IFR Low Enroute charts were found in the wreckage, and were consistent with an IFR flight from PKB to LWM. However, a flight plan was not filed, and no approach plates were recovered. Additionally, the airplane manufacturer stated that at a power setting of 2,500 rpm, at 7,500 feet, the airplane's endurance was 4 hours and 26 minutes. The accident flight lasted approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.