Mooney M20K N231KA

Summary

On 16 March 2015 at about 23:55 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231KA, operated by Pridgen Michael E, was involved in an accident near Laurel, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 March 2015 at 23:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Laurel, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Suburban (W18)

Coordinates

39.0769, -76.8281

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231KA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Pridgen Michael E

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Easton → Laurel

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ERA15CA157

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a nighttime landing at an unsuitable airport, which resulted in a collision with the precision approach path indicator.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he was aware that the Low Intensity Runway Lights (LIRL) at his departure airport were not operational when he departed on a local flight. When the pilot returned to the departure airport later that night, he attempted to operate the LIRL, but only one side of the runway edge lights activated. The pilot conducted a low approach to see which lights were working and then executed a go-around. On the second approach, the pilot planned to conduct another low approach to see if he could identify the runway paint markings. If the pilot saw the paint markings, he planned to continue the low approach into a landing. During the second low approach, the airplane collided with a structure that was used as a precision approach path indicator. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot did not report any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the airport facility directory revealed that the LIRL lights were listed as inoperative indefinitely but also listed to activate LIRL with common traffic advisory frequency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.