Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Albany, Indiana 47320
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 12:37 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot became unresponsive to the air traffic controller after his last radio transmission, made as the airplane was climbing through 24,000 feet. The airplane leveled off at its assigned cruise altitude of 25,000 feet and continued northbound to a navigational fix, where it made a planned course reversal to the south and proceeded back toward the departure airport. A plot of the radar track data was consistent with the airplane being flown by its autopilot. A military F-16 fighter jet pilot, who had intercepted and escorted the flight, noted that the accident pilot was lying against the pilot-side cockpit window, unresponsive and possibly hypoxic. The airplane continued on a southerly course for over an hour, after which it entered a series of right turns that were followed by a gradual descent on a north-northeasterly course. After reaching 22,000 feet, the airplane descended rapidly to the ground, colliding with trees and terrain before a ground fire ensued.
The postaccident investigation revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane. The extensive impact and fire damage to the airplane's oxygen system prevented a determination of whether the pilot was actively using supplemental oxygen during the accident flight. A review of the flights since the most recent oxygen cylinder service, completed about 6 months before the accident, indicated that under normal usage there should have been sufficient oxygen available for the accident flight. A review of available medical information did not reveal any findings that would have resulted in pilot incapacitation, including a cardiovascular event, carbon monoxide poisoning, or the use of unapproved medication, illegal drugs, or alcohol.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The incapacitation of the pilot during high-altitude cruise flight for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/30/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1237 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Albany |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47320 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 401717N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0850950W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 266 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KMIE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 937 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| 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) | 28702 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 16 2011 12:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N400DE |
| NTSB Number | CEN09FA610 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-0320 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3368 |
| 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 | Apr 13 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 450.6 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | N400DE, LLC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7919 Red Clover Court, Southeast |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ada |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49301-8705 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | N400DE, LLC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7919 Red Clover Court, Southeast |
| Operator City | Ada |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49301-8705 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KGRR |
| Departure City | Grand Rapids |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 944 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KGRR |
| Destination City | Grand Rapids |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 11 2011 1:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |