Greenwood Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenwood, Indiana 46143
Friday, July 11, 2014 14:19 EDT

On July 11, 2014, at 1419 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N72FG, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The private pilot was fatally injured and his certified flight instructor (CFI) received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a post-impact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal/training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight was originating at the time with a destination of the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas. The purpose of the flight was to fly the airplane to Texas for an annual inspection and to receive instrument flight instruction during the flight. The pilot had received his IFR clearance to GGG, with a clearance void time of 1420. According to air traffic control, they did not have any further contact with the airplane. Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airplane before departing and during the takeoff. They stated the engine sounded normal while the airplane was seen taxiing to runway 19 and throughout the engine run-up. Witnesses reported that the airplane sat at the end of the runway for 10 to 15 minutes before it departed. Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane trailing blue smoke during the takeoff ground run. One of the witnesses was indoors and did not hear the airplane. The other witness stated the engine was making a loud popping sound as if it was misfiring. The airplane continued down the runway and eventually became airborne. Additional witnesses reported the airplane was between 50 to 100 feet above the ground when it passed-by the fixed base operator which was about ¼ the way down the 5,100 foot long runway. These witnesses also described the sound of the engine as "popping", "misfiring", and as if there were ball bearings inside the engine. They stated the nose of the airplane lowered slightly and they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the runway, but the nose then rose and the airplane continued climbing. The witnesses stated the airplane was slow and "wallowing" with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. Witnesses at the north end of the airport stated they did not hear the engine as the airplane turned to the south. However, they were not certain if it was because the engine power had decreased or because of their distance and position from the airplane. A witness who was in a parking lot just south of the airport, stated he saw the airplane as it was climbing from the airport. He stated the airplane was about treetop level, less than 100 feet above the ground. The witness stated he did not see smoke or hear any popping or backfiring. He did state that the engine sounded like it was at an idle or a low power setting. The nose of the airplane was slightly up, and the wings were level. He looked toward another airplane in the area and when he looked back, the airplane had disappeared behind the trees.

Not Yet Reported