Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Leesburg Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
Thursday, March 20, 2003 19:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The instrument rated pilot flew the published instrument approach procedure and cancelled IFR services while on final approach. A review of radar data revealed that when the airplane was approximately 1 mile from the end of the runway, it began a left, 360-degree turn at an altitude of 1,600 feet msl, at a groundspeed of 98 knots. The turn was completed within a radius of approximately 0.2 nautical miles. Upon completion of the turn, the airplane was at an altitude of 1,000 feet msl, headed toward the airport. Twenty seconds later, the airplane began a left turn to the east, just before the data ended. The last radar target was at an altitude of 900 feet msl. Several witnesses observed the airplane, and described the weather as light drizzle, fog, and dark. A witness said he could easily identify the airplane's navigational lights, and saw the nose of the airplane straight up in the air, as it simultaneously rolled to the left, on to its back, as the nose dropped straight down toward the ground. The airplane continued to roll a full 360 degrees, then hit the ground nose first. The witness also described the maneuver as "very violent and not controlled." Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/20/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1945 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Leesburg |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 20176 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 390548N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0773332W |
| Event Location Airport | Leesburg Executive Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | JYO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 389 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1942 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JYO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 389 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.8 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -588 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17168 |
| NTSB Notification Source | VIRGINIA STATE POLICE |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 20 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Dulles FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1005P |
| NTSB Number | IAD03FA039 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 29-0283 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3368 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 59 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Franklin M Rizer |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Warren |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44484 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | YNG |
| Departure City | Youngstown |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1820 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Leesburg |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 14 2004 11:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |