The Accident
The pilot of a Mooney M20J, registration N5810C, was delivering the aircraft to Blue Ash Airport in Ohio for minor repairs when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot had called the airport for landing information minutes before the accident. The location of the crash would have been a close base leg for a visual flight rules (VFR) landing pattern.
FAA Inspector's Observations
An FAA inspector who witnessed the accident estimated the aircraft's altitude to be between 200 and 300 feet above the ground. The inspector reported that the aircraft was in a nose-high attitude before entering a spin, shortly after which it crashed.
Pilot's Flight Activity
The pilot's flight log indicated limited recent experience in the Mooney M20J: three flights in 1989, two flights in 1990, and one flight in 1991. All recorded flights were in the same make and model.