Accident Mooney M20K N231DL,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44846
 
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Date:Sunday 23 May 2004
Time:11:39
Type:Silhouette image of generic M20T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Mooney M20K
Owner/operator:Lashley Auto Sales, Inc.
Registration: N231DL
MSN: 25-0010
Year of manufacture:1978
Total airframe hrs:3564 hours
Engine model:Continental TSIO-360-LB1B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Pinedale, WY -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Sunrise, OR (S21)
Destination airport:Riverton, WY (RIW)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The non-instrument rated private pilot had been airborne for approximately 3 hours when he approached the Wind River Range in central Wyoming. Radar data indicated that he descended from 15,500 feet to 14,300 feet (because of weather) to cross the continental divide at Gannett Peak, elevation 13,804 feet,. Radar data indicates that approximately 20 seconds later, the airplane was in an approximate 4,200 feet per minute rate of descent. Satellite imagery and NEXRAD Doppler data suggest that at the pilot's ground track location, the mountain was experiencing light to intermittent snow showers according to the NTSB meteorologist. No endorsements could be found in the pilot's flight logbook to indicate that he had received any mountain flying training. Search and rescue teams found the airplane 3 days later. No evidence of a mechanical failure was found.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the downdraft, the snow shower weather and mountainous terrain.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: DEN04FA079
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20040528X00684&key=1

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
28-Oct-2008 00:45 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:24 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
07-Dec-2017 18:01 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]

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