Aircraft and Flight Details
On September 8, 2024, about 0650 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20F, registration N9628M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The pilot departed from Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, about 0625, intending to land at Cottonwood Airport and have breakfast with friends.
Accident Sequence
Witnesses observed the airplane flying at a low altitude before it pitched up and collided with a tree. One witness heard the engine while the airplane was flying low near the airport and then heard it rev up just before impact. Another witness reported on social media that as the airplane flew over his house, a large number of birds flew up into the airplane. The airplane then immediately banked left and crashed shortly thereafter.
Post-Accident Observations
The airplane came to rest inverted in the side yard adjacent to a house, approximately 2,000 ft from the departure end of runway 32 at Cottonwood Airport. The right fuel tank was breached, and the pre-impact fuel quantity could not be determined. Three gallons of fuel were recovered from the fuel system during retrieval. The landing gear had released from the uplocks but remained in the wheel wells (not extended). The flaps were extended. The airplane was recovered to a facility for examination at a future date.