Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Golden Triangle Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbus, Mississippi 39701
Saturday, April 22, 2006 12:52 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after the single-engine airplane departed Runway 36, (a 6,497-foot-long by 150-foot-wide asphalt runway), the 2,410-hour commercial pilot informed air traffic control that the airplane's engine had experienced a "total power failure" and that he would be returning to the airport. The pilot elected to fly back across a four lane highway and an open field in an attempt to reach the airport. The airplane's right wing impacted a large oak tree, approximately 4,054 short of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground before coming to rest in an inverted position. There was no post impact fire and all major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. During the investigation it was revealed that the pilot had experienced a partial loss of engine power on his previous flight; a 585-nautical mile cross-country flight. After landing the pilot instructed an airframe and powerplant mechanic to perform a visual inspection of the engine in order to look for abnormalities. No anomalies were noted. The pilot then elected to return on the 585-nautical mile cross-country flight before having the engine further examined. The accident occurred while the pilot was initiating his return flight. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related components did not reveal any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the pilot's improper decision to forgo suitable forced landing opportunities in an attempt to return to the airport.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/22/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1252 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Columbus |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39701 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332813N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0883535W |
| Event Location Airport | GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GTR |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 264 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1300 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GTR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 264 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 21602 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 22 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 27 2007 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Jackson, Mississippi |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N231GE |
| NTSB Number | DFW06FA110 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | Y |
| 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 | M20K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-0233 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 2367 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ray E Townsend |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 743 S 2nd ST Box 148 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Watseka |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60970 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | GTR |
| Departure City | COLUMBUS |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1249 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OMA |
| Destination City | OMAHA |
| Destination State | NE |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb - to cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 9 2007 1:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 6497 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |