Mooney M20M N741SB

Summary

On 18 November 2011 at about 22:15 local time, a Mooney M20M registered N741SB was involved in an accident near Pomona, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 November 2011 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Pomona, California, United States

Nearest airport

Brackett Field Airport (POC)

Coordinates

34.0842, -117.7639

Aircraft

Mooney M20M

Registration

N741SB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Monte → Pomona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12FA044

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear obstructions while maneuvering on the base leg of the traffic pattern for landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After the pilot reported to the airport air traffic controller that the airplane was inbound, he was cleared to land. The controller informed the pilot of departing traffic from the runway, but the pilot did not respond. Another controller noted that the airplane was low and on the base leg of the traffic pattern at that time. The controller who was in contact with the pilot noted that the airplane was low and that it then turned "wing up" and crashed. The airplane collided with a 75-foot-tall stanchion, which was in a fairground about 3/4 mile southeast of the airport. The pilot made no mayday calls during the approach or accident sequence. Witnesses observed the airplane at a lower-than-normal altitude for landing. The traffic pattern altitude for the airport is 2,013 feet. At the time of the accident, an overcast layer was reported at 2,000 feet. It is likely that the pilot was maintaining a lower altitude to remain below the overcast layer in visual conditions and failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the obstruction while on the base leg of the traffic pattern. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not possess a medical certificate because he had not responded to a request by the Federal Aviation Administration for additional details regarding his diabetes diagnosis. However, review of the pilot's autopsy and toxicology testing revealed no evidence of sudden incapacitation. Although postaccident testing revealed the presence of diphenhydramine, it could not be determined if it was impairing at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.