Accident Details
On November 18, 2011, at approximately 1415 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20M, registration N741SB, impacted a horse-racing track at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California, while maneuvering for landing at Brackett Field (POC) in La Verne, California. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that departed El Monte Airport (EMT) about 1400. No flight plan had been filed.
A witness reported seeing the airplane flying low over a neighbor's house, appearing slow. The witness observed the airplane on a north-northeast heading then bank left, initially believing it would make an off-airport landing. The airplane suddenly spun clockwise and dove toward the ground. The witness heard a crash and called 911. The witness noted overcast conditions at the time.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) control tower personnel at Brackett Field reported that the pilot called inbound and was cleared to land on runway 26 left. The pilot requested and was approved for runway 26R. The controller informed the pilot of a departing sheriff helicopter, but the pilot did not respond. The controller observed the airplane on left base at low altitude, then the airplane turned wing up and descended in the fairground area southeast of the airport. No mayday calls were made.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 65, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane, and a private pilot certificate for airplane single engine land. He was required to wear corrective lenses. According to medical records, his medical certificate was denied on May 25, 2010. He possessed a third-class medical issued May 1, 2008. At the time of his most recent medical application, he reported 1,600 total flight hours, with 100 hours in the previous 6 months. The FAA denied his application after he failed to provide additional medical information. The NTSB investigator estimated the pilot's total time at 1,759.4 hours, with about 419.7 hours in the accident airplane, 36.8 in the last 90 days, and 16 in the last 30 days.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing retractable gear airplane N741SB, model M20M, serial number 27-0285, was manufactured in 2000. It was powered by a Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B, serial number L-10386-61A, 270-hp engine. The last annual inspection was on December 29, 2010. A new engine was installed on November 26, 2010, at a Hobbs meter reading of 1,417.3.
Weather Information
The nearest weather reporting facility, Ontario International Airport (9 nautical miles east), reported at 1353: sky clear with a 2,000-foot ceiling, visibility 5 statute miles, temperature 12°C, dew point 8°C, wind from 290° at 4 knots, altimeter 29.94 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The entire airplane was at the accident site, inverted on the Pomona County Fair Grounds race track, about 3/4 mile southeast of the airport. The first identified point of impact was a damaged light stanchion about 75 feet tall, located in the infield. Fuel was leaking. The pilot remained belted to his seat via the restraint system.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology results from the County of Los Angeles Coroner were positive for Diltiazem (less than 0.10 ug/mL), Diphenhydramine (less than 0.50 ug/mL), and less than 10% carbon monoxide. The pilot had a medical history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea. FAA toxicology tests detected Dextromethorphan in urine (not in blood), Diphenhydramine, Ephedrine, Glipizide (in urine and cavity blood), and Pseudoephedrine in urine.
Tests and Research
Flight control continuity was established. The three-bladed propeller showed impact damage: blade 1 bent forward with leading edge polishing and trailing edge gouges; blade 2 had Q-tip bending and chordwise scratches; blade 3 had S-bending and chordwise scratches. The vacuum pump had no discrepancies. The left magneto was impact-damaged and untestable; the right magneto produced spark normally. Spark plugs exhibited normal wear. Fuel injectors were clear. The fuel flow divider diaphragm had an outward fracture; NTSB materials laboratory examination showed the fracture was consistent with overstress. No pre-impact mechanical malfunctions were observed that would have precluded normal operation.