What happened
On April 11, 2025, at approximately 14:02 EDT, a Mooney M20F, registration N7026V, crashed into a wooded area near Reliance, Tennessee. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The aircraft departed Lovell Field Airport (CHA) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at approximately 13:45, en route to Burlington/Alamance Regional Airport (BUY) in Burlington, North Carolina.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft turned northeast toward the Ocoee-Cherokee National Forest. Radar contact was lost approximately 13 minutes after departure, leading to an alert notice (ALNOT) being issued about three minutes later. Local fire and rescue personnel located the wreckage roughly two hours after the ALNOT was issued.
The aircraft impacted heavily wooded terrain at an elevation of approximately 1,760 feet MSL, about 38 nautical miles northeast of Chattanooga. The wreckage, which spanned an area of 60 feet by 30 feet, included the engine, propeller, fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The left wing separated at the wing root, while the right wing came to rest against a tree. The elevators were found separated from the horizontal stabilizers within 400 feet of the main site. The cockpit and fuselage area were fragmented.
Witnesses at the Chilhowee Glider Port (9A2), located about five nautical miles southwest of the crash site, reported experiencing strong, gusting winds about one hour before the accident. They noted that multiple aircraft had to be parked due to the wind and observed debris blowing across the runway. Witnesses also reported a weather cell containing precipitation in the vicinity of the accident site at the time of the event.
There were 3 fatal injuries involving the pilot, a pilot-rated passenger, and a second passenger.