History of Flight
On Friday, November 14, 2014, at about 1730 Mountain Standard Time, a Mooney M20C, registration N6466U, collided with trees in mountainous terrain near Stevens Field (PSO) in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight, operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, originated from Moriarty Airport (0E0) in Moriarty, New Mexico, with a destination of PSO. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot and passenger were traveling to Pagosa Springs for skiing. The pilot did not obtain an official weather briefing. Before departure, the pilot called the fixed-based operator (FBO) at PSO to reserve a rental car, stating he had never flown into PSO before. The FBO advised against the flight due to inclement weather, but the pilot indicated he was a professional pilot and would proceed. The pilot also contacted the rental car agency and reserved a car for arrival around 1700, despite the agent's weather warnings.
At approximately 1645, the FBO manager heard a scratchy, unintelligible transmission on the PSO Unicom, followed later by a transmission mentioning "Mooney." At 1655, the pilot transmitted clearly that he was 10 miles south of PSO. The FBO manager reported weather conditions as 100-foot overcast ceiling and quarter-mile visibility in snow. Around 1700, personnel heard an airplane circling south, estimated below 1,000 feet above ground level. The pilot asked if the runway lights were at maximum intensity and stated he needed to get out of the weather. No further communications were received.
The U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center alerted authorities at 1923 that the airplane was missing. A search began, and the wreckage was located by ground teams on November 19 at 1237.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 59, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, issued April 7, 2011. He was not instrument rated and did not possess a current medical certificate. His application for medical certification was denied on October 22, 2014, due to failure to provide requested reports related to a history of sleep apnea and substance abuse.
The pilot's logbook, found at the scene, contained entries from August 26, 1999, through February 21, 2005. Flying activity ceased after January 5, 2002, except for one flight in 2003 and five in 2004, plus two in 2005. Eight flights in the accident airplane were noted without dates. The logbook indicated at least 227.4 hours total flight time. He purchased N6466U on January 29, 2011, and logged at least 15.7 hours in it. At the time of his medical application, he estimated 204 total hours and zero in the preceding six months.
Aircraft Information
N6466U (serial number 2213), a 1962 Mooney M20C, was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1D engine (180 horsepower) driving a Hartzell two-blade constant-speed propeller. An annual inspection was performed on February 15, 2014, at a tachometer time of 3,870.2 hours. At that time, the airframe had 4,628.28 total hours, and the engine had 5,229.0 total hours with 1,733.0 hours since major overhaul.
Meteorological Information
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow, with 8 to 14 inches accumulation, westerly winds 15 to 25 mph gusting to 45 mph above 9,500 feet mean sea level, and poor visibility from snow, fog, and blowing snow. AIRMETs Sierra, Tango, and Zulu, issued from 1345 to 1641, indicated IFR conditions with precipitation, mist, mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence, and moderate icing. At 1655 and 1659, the KPSO AWOS reported calm wind, half-mile visibility in light snow, 100-foot overcast ceiling, temperature 1°C, dew point 1°C, and altimeter 29.92 and 29.93 inches of mercury, respectively.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage included all primary structural components and flight controls except the left and right wingtips, found about 60 and 30 feet away. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to impact damage. The emergency locator transmitter was in its bracket in the tail, connected to the antenna, and found in the "off" position. It had "March 2014" written on it, and its batteries expired that month. A functional test with the switch on showed it transmitted on 121.5 MHz.
A cooler containing bottles of beer and a 1.75-liter bottle of vodka was found in the wreckage. Marijuana was discovered during examination of personal effects and turned over to law enforcement.
Engine examination revealed no anomalies but noted improper maintenance: silicone rubber gasket compound on the oil pan, propeller not safety-wired, cotter pins instead of safety wire on the oil pump, and two "no blow" exhaust gaskets on the number 4 cylinder exhaust flange. The propeller bore signatures consistent with rotation at impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
Postmortem examinations, performed on November 22, 2014, revealed multiple injuries consistent with the accident, described as instantly fatal. Toxicology tests on the pilot detected no ethanol in muscle or liver tissue and no drugs in liver tissue. Specimens were insufficient for carbon monoxide testing; cyanide testing was not performed.
Air Traffic Control
Radar data from 1709:26 MST showed the airplane at 9,400 feet msl just west of PSO. At 1710:42, it was in a left turn at 9,500 feet. By 1716:37, it was over Pagosa Springs at 9,400 feet turning southeast. The last radar contact placed the airplane southeast of the airport over the San Juan National Forest at 9,100 feet.