What happened
On May 27, 2000, a Mooney M20K, registration G-GTPL, was conducting a private VFR flight from Murcia/San Javier Airport to Perpignan, France. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, departed at 08:32 UTC under favorable weather conditions.
At 10:25 UTC, the pilot contacted Sabadell Tower, stating the aircraft was exiting the Sabadell airfield traffic zone to the northeast at 3,500 feet. The pilot also reported an intention to descend to maintain visual contact with the terrain. This was the last confirmed radio communication. A subsequent radar contact at 10:37 UTC placed the aircraft near the Girona VOR, climbing at 3,000 feet with a speed of 80 knots.
The wreckage was located the following morning in the Montseny massif, near Gualba. The aircraft had struck the terrain at an elevation of 3,117 feet, resulting in the total destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path and the meteorological conditions at the time of impact. Investigators examined the wreckage, which showed the aircraft had clipped the treetops in an upward motion. The impact with a large tree caused the right wing to detach and forced the nose into a rock, breaking the propeller.
While the flight began under good weather, local conditions at the crash site included heavy fog, 100% humidity, and rain. The investigation also noted that there was no evidence the pilot had specifically gathered updated meteorological information for the route during flight planning.
Findings
- The accident was a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT).
- The pilot initiated a descent from 3,500 feet to maintain visual contact with the ground, which led the aircraft into a mountainous area obscured by dense fog.
- The pilot's medical certificate had expired approximately 10 months prior to the accident.
- There was no evidence that the pilot had obtained specific weather updates for the flight route during the planning phase.