History of Flight
On March 4, 2015, about 0413 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20F, N66BB, impacted trees and terrain while conducting an instrument approach to Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Norfolk, Virginia. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Palatka Municipal Airport (28J), Palatka, Florida, about 2353 on March 3, 2015.
According to the airplane owner, the pilot and two friends had borrowed the airplane and departed from its home base of Suffolk Executive Airport (SFQ), Suffolk, Virginia on February 25. The group flew to Key West International Airport (EYW), Key West, Florida.
At 1916 on March 3, the pilot contacted Flight Service to file two IFR flight plans for the return trip to SFQ. The first plan requested GPS-direct routing from EYW to 28J; the second requested GPS-direct routing from 28J to the Brunswick, Georgia (SSI) VOR and then direct to SFQ. The pilot declared a planned departure time of 2300, an estimated en route time of 3 hours 30 minutes, and 5 hours of fuel onboard. He did not specify an alternate. The briefer provided a partial weather briefing; the pilot declined a standard briefing, stating he had looked it over.
The flight departed EYW about 2030 and arrived at 28J about 2240. The pilot purchased 31 gallons of 100LL fuel at 2244. The flight departed 28J for SFQ at 2353.
ATC and radar data show the pilot contacted approach control at ORF at 0253. The pilot requested the RNAV GPS RWY 22 instrument approach to SFQ. At 0307, the pilot was vectored and cleared for the approach. The controller noted the flight had not intercepted the final approach course; the pilot reported problems with GPS plates. At 0312, the pilot stated they were correcting for wind. The airplane passed the final approach fix WOLIB at 0319:43 at a GPS altitude of 1,571 ft and groundspeed of 50 knots. It continued descending, passing JOVAM at 600 ft, then the runway 22 threshold at 331 ft. The airplane descended to 167 ft (about 100 ft AGL) at 0324:16, tracking east away from the runway. The pilot executed a missed approach and requested diversion to ORF.
At 0326, the controller provided ORF weather: wind 220° at 15 knots gusting 23, visibility 6 miles in mist, overcast ceiling 400 ft. The pilot accepted vectors for the ILS RWY 23 approach. At 0332, the controller offered weather at other airports; ceilings were generally 400 ft. The pilot reported moderate turbulence. The controller provided vectors; at 0342, the pilot established on the localizer but at 1,300 ft instead of the required 1,600 ft. The controller corrected him. Between 0348 and 0349, the pilot deviated from the localizer; the controller canceled the approach clearance and instructed a climb to 2,000 ft.
The pilot requested a second attempt. At 0351, the pilot reported 1 hour 15 minutes of fuel remaining, later corrected to about half an hour. At 0354, the pilot reported moderate turbulence and gyro precession. The controller provided no-gyro vectors. At 0403, the pilot confirmed precession issues. At 0411, the controller reminded the pilot of ceiling height. At 0413:07, the pilot stated, "have the field mooney six six bravo bravo." The airplane was 0.7 nautical mile north of the runway 23 threshold at 265 ft GPS altitude, tracking toward the runway. No further transmissions were received. The airplane then tracked westward, then back toward the runway, descending. During the final 9 seconds, it descended from 269 ft to 134 ft at an average rate of 900 ft per minute.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 61, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He held an FAA third-class medical certificate issued March 2013 with a limitation for corrective lenses. He reported 1,160 total hours, with 18 hours in the previous 6 months. His personal flight logs could not be located.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1975 Mooney M20F equipped with a Lycoming IO-360-A1A engine. It had a King KX155 VHF nav/com, a Narco COM 120, and a JPI EDM-830 engine data management system. No DME or panel-mounted GPS was installed. The altitude indicating system was tested October 2013; the last annual inspection was May 2014. At that time, airframe had 894 hours total, engine 84 hours since overhaul. An overhauled directional gyro was installed June 2014; the KX-155 was repaired January 2015.
Meteorological Information
At SFQ at 0315, weather included wind 230° at 10 knots, visibility 2.5 miles in mist, overcast ceiling 300 ft, temperature 6°C, dew point 5°C, altimeter 29.98 inHg. At ORF at 0420, wind from 230° at 20 knots gusting 27, visibility 2.5 miles in mist, overcast ceiling 200 ft, temperature 8°C, dew point 7°C, altimeter 29.92 inHg.
A pilot report after the accident indicated an overcast layer between 200 ft and 1,500 ft. The upper air sounding from Wallops Island showed a temperature inversion from surface to 2,000 ft, light low-level wind shear, and light to moderate turbulence. Satellite data indicated low stratiform clouds with tops near 1,200 ft. AIRMETs warned of ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, moderate turbulence, and strong surface winds.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 2,300 ft northwest of ORF runway 23 threshold, in a forested area adjacent to Lake Whitehurst. Initial impact was a tree at about 80 ft height. A 260 ft wreckage path on a magnetic heading of 210° contained tree debris, paint chips, and metal. The main wreckage came to rest inverted at the base of a tree. No fire occurred. The outboard 3 ft of both wings separated; the left wing had a concave depression on the leading edge. The left fuel tank was ruptured; a trace of fuel remained in the right tank. Landing gear were extended; flaps were retracted. Control continuity was established through overload separations. Both front seat occupants were restrained with lap belts; no shoulder restraints were installed. The emergency locator transmitter was found in the armed position. Propeller blades exhibited aft tip curling and s-bending.