Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
NTSB Identification: CEN13FA221
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 07, 2013 in Collinsville, OK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/23/2014
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N57672
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot and passenger were on the return leg of a cross-country flight. Before departing from his home airfield, the pilot filed the outbound and return legs for the instrument flight rules flight as, “GPS direct.” The surface wind was reported as 17 knots gusting to 24 knots with a ceiling at 2,000 feet. Shortly after departure, the pilot contacted air traffic control and was given a clearance to 6,000 feet and an amended flight routing. About 5 minutes later, the airplane disappeared from radar, and the pilot did not respond to the air traffic controller’s radio call. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane at a steep angle and at a high rate of speed before it impacted terrain. The wreckage was largely fragmented, and a postcrash fire consumed a large portion of the airplane. The airplane’s bottom skin panel was located about 1.4 miles from the accident site; because of its location, it is likely the airplane’s skin panel separated during the high-speed descent. Review of radar data revealed the airplane climbed to about 4,300 feet and then entered a right descending turn before disappearing from radar. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the pilot’s loss of control could not be determined. An autopsy was not conducted; therefore, it would not be determined whether a medical or physiological issue contributed to the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane for reasons that could not be determined because an examination of the airplane did not find an abnormality that would have precluded normal operations.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On April 7, 2013, about 1800 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, airplane, N57672, impacted terrain near Collinsville, Oklahoma. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the Tulsa International Airport (KTUL), Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 1747, and was en route to the Manhattan Regional airport, Manhattan, Kansas (KMHK).
A review of the air traffic control communications and radar data revealed that the pilot contacted the TUL departure controller; which cleared him to climb to 6,000 feet and to the "DELAT" intersection. About 5 minutes later, the aircraft disappears from the controller's radar, and the pilot does not respond to the controller's radio calls.
Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane descending at a high rate of speed, before it impacted terrain, in a small lot behind a vacant house.
PILOT INFORMATION
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land, and instrument-airplane. The pilot held a third class medical certificate that was issued on January 9, 2013, with the restriction, "must have available glasses for near vision". At the time of the exam the pilot had reported 3,686.7 total flight hours and 150.8 hours in the preceding six months. A pilot logbook was located among the wreckage; however, additional flight time entries could not be read, due to the condition of the logbook.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was a Mooney M20J which is a low-wing, single-engine airplane, with retractable tricycle gear, powered by a reciprocating engine driving a constant speed propeller.
A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane's last annual inspection was conducted on April 1, 2012, with a Hobbs meter reading of 4,818.6 hours. At the time of the inspection the engine had a total time of 3,650.5 and 551.6 hours since overhaul.
The airplane was equipped with a fiberglass belly panel, installed per Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), SA3252NM.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
At 1753, the automated weather observation facility located at KTUL, reported wind from 160 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 24 knots, with a peak wind recorded at 1743, at 170 degrees at 29 knots, visibility 9 miles, overcast ceiling at 2,000 feet, temperature 66 Fahrenheit (F), dew point 61 F, and a barometric pressure of 29.72 inches of mercury.
Prior to the pilot's departure from MHK, he telephoned flight service and received a weather briefing for this planned flight. He filed two IFR flight plans, one for the flight to TUL, and one for the return trip back to MHK; the route of flight for each trip was filed as GPS direct. About 1706 the pilot telephoned flight service, and received an abbreviated weather brief for the return flight from Tulsa to Manhattan.
COMMUNICATIONS and RADAR INFORMATION
A review of air traffic communications revealed that the pilot was transferred from the KTUL tower controller to the departure controller. The departure controller then issued instructions for the pilot to climb to 6,000 and proceed direct "DELAT". The accident pilot acknowledged the controller instructions, with the read back as 6,000 and what sounded like, "direct vlap". Approximately five minutes later, the controller tried to contact the pilot; the pilot did not respond and there was no further communication or distress calls from the pilot.
RADAR
A review of the radar data revealed the airplane departed TUL on a northward heading. The data revealed the airplane, climbed to about 4,300 feet, before a descending right turn was depicted. No other radar points from the aircraft were observed and the last radar point was near the accident site.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The National Transportation Safety Board, inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and a technical representative from Lycoming aircraft engines examined the airplane wreckage on site.
The airplane's impact left a crater approximately 10 feet in diameter and about 4 feet deep. The airplane's engine and part of a propeller blade was visible in the crater; the left wing, empennage, were just outside the crater. One end of a narrow ground scar contained pieces of a fiberglass wingtip and a green navigation light, the other end of the scar was at the impact crater. A postcrash fire consumed part of the fuselage and rear stabilizer. The remainder of the airplane wreckage was fragmented.
The airplane impacted the backyard of a vacant house, in a residential area. All major components of the airplane were accounted for on scene. Fragmented pieces of the airplane were located within yards of the neighboring houses.
The fiberglass belly skin panel was located away from the main crash site, on a heading of about 346 degrees and approximately 1.4 miles from the main impact point.
The airplane's artificial horizon (attitude indicator) was located; the instrument had heavy impact damage. The unit was disassembled, and the gyro had scoring consistent with rotation at the time of impact.
The engine was located in the center of the crater and had received extensive damage. The aft accessory case and sump were shattered and separated from the main case. Pieces of the accessories; fuel pump, magneto, and vacuum pump were found scattered around the accident site. Three blades of the constant speed propeller were located; each blade had separated from the hub. The blades each had a wave type bend, leading edge polishing, and had leading edge damage.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Due to extensive trauma, an autopsy on the pilot was not conducted.
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, did not perform toxicological tests on the specimens for carbon monoxide or cyanide. The specimens were negative for ethanol and tested drugs.
TEST AND RESEARCH
The wreckage was examined on May 22, 2013 at a salvage facility, near Lancaster, Texas, by the NTSB and a technical representative from the engine manufacturer. The main wing spar was fractured into several sections; the exam noted that the deformation and damages were consistent with the wing being intact at the time of ground impact. The left horizontal stabilizer, left and right elevator, vertical stabilizer, and rudder remained attached to the empennage. The right horizontal stabilizer was separated and was fire damaged. The left elevator counterweight was not located in the wreckage; however, damage to the outboard stabilizer and elevator was consistent with the counterweight being attached at impact.
All of the examined fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with overload failures and no evidence of fatigue or flutter.
NTSB Identification: CEN13FA221 14
CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 07, 2013 in Collinsville, OK
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N57672
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On April 7, 2013, about 1800 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, airplane, N57672, impacted terrain near Collinsville, Oklahoma. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the Tulsa International Airport (KTUL), Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 1747, and was en route to the Manhattan Regional airport (KMHK).
Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane before it descended into a small lot behind a vacant house.
The airplane’s impact left a crater approximately 10 feet in diameter and about 4 feet deep. The airplane’s engine and part of a propeller blade was visible in the crater; the left wing, empennage, were just outside the crater. One end of a narrow ground scar contained pieces of a fiberglass wingtip and a green navigation light, the other end of the scar was at the impact crater. Other pieces of the airplane were scattered around the area. A postcrash fire consumed part of the fuselage and rear stabilizer. The remainder of the airplane wreckage was fragmented.
A preliminary review of air traffic control and radar data was done. Communications with KTUL tower were normal, with the last acknowledgement from the pilot was that the airplane was cleared to 6,000 feet. There were no emergency or distress calls from the pilot. A review of radar information had the airplane tracking northward, in a shallow climb. The airplane reached 4,100 feet before a descending, right turn on the radar was observed. During the turn, the airplane disappeared from the radar.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW)-- A retired Manhattan doctor and Kansas State University employee were killed in a deadly plane crash near Tulsa Sunday.
Chris Gruber, 40, the Director of Development for K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, was one of the victims. Gruber was an employee of the KSU Foundation who played an integral part in fundraising for research, projects, scholarships, equipment, etc. He had been with the staff of the KSU Foundation for 8.5 years.
K-State officials said Monday that grief counselors were being made available for his co-workers.
Gruber posted a photo of a plane on Twitter Sunday with the message, "My ride to Tulsa." Click here to see the post.
“He led a team of people who are the public face of our college in many ways…He was very much a family man. He has three young children and a wonderful wife. His sister is actually a veterinarian and is on our faculty as a pathologist so there’s a lot of closeness with Mr. Gruber and the College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. Ralph Richardson, dead of K-State’s College of Veterinary medicine. “It’s hard on everybody. People liked Chris. They admired him. He looked out for them so it’s hard. We have people that are grieving; we have people who are feeling loss…. But we’re going to take one day at a time and we’re going to honor Chris’ memory.”
The plane was registered to Dr. Ronald Marshall, 71, a well known retired physician from Manhattan who specialized in obstetrics & gynecology, but officials hadn't confirmed him as a victim in the crash as of Monday afternoon.
Marshall's family members and friends were mourning his passing at his home Monday but told WIBW that they had not yet received any official notification of his death from authorities. They declined an interview but confirmed that it was Dr. Marshall's plane that went down and that he was the pilot.
"Any time a life is lost, it’s going to touch the lives of others. Dr. Marshall was a long term physician in the Manhattan community and I’m sure he was loved by many, many people. I’ve already spent time talking with people who said, ‘Yes, he delivered our child. Yes, he was my doctor.’ So it hurts the whole community when something like this happens," Dr. Richardson added. He said the victims were family friends.
According to the FAA, the single-engine aircraft departed Tulsa International Airport around 5:50 Sunday night en route to Manhattan, where it was scheduled to land just after 7 PM. The plane crashed inside the city limits of Collinsville, a suburb about 30 minutes northeast of Tulsa. It dropped off of FAA radar at 5:52 p.m.
The plane reportedly crashed into a house neighbors say was vacant and caused a small fire. No one on the ground was injured.
"We saw it in the air when it popped, a couple of things fell off and the wings really looked strange, like they folded in and it nosedived right behind the house," a witness told News On 6, the CBS affiliate in Tulsa.
The FAA is investigating the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board. The FAA indicated Sunday that at least three people were killed when the plane went down. Dr. Marshall's family members, however, told 13 News that they believe only two people were on board.
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that it has received two bodies from the crash site. Spokeswoman Amy Elliot told WIBW Monday that the dead have yet to be scientifically identified.
Dr. Ronald Marshall's twin brother, Rod Marshall, told the Omaha World-Herald that he had been in the Tulsa area Sunday attending a gun show with his brother. The two had dinner after the show, then Rod Marshall got in his car to return home to Beatrice, Nebraska and Dr. Ronald Marshall- known as Dr. Ron- boarded his plane with Gruber to fly back to Manhattan.
Ronald Marshall registered his plane in Nebraska, where he owned farm land, his brother said.
At Kansas State University, Dr. Richardson said he expects a memorial service to be held at some point to honor Chris Gruber.
Story, Video, Photos, Reaction/Comments: http://www.wibw.com
Scene of a small plane that crashed in Collinsville, Oklahoma
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Photo courtesy of Rachelle Gordon.
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Photo courtesy of Rachelle Gordon.
Rachelle says her husband took this shot about 7 minutes after the plane crashed in Collinsville, Oklahoma on April 7, 2013.
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Debris from the plane crash.
Photo Credit: Rick Heaton/Owasso Reporter
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A plane crash in Collinsville Sunday evening rocked this community with an immediate explosion that reportedly has taken the life of at least one individual and possibly three, Collinsville Police Chief Jimmie Richey told the News Sunday evening.
While details about the crash may not be known for several days, the small private plane went down sometime between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Richey stated that the plane took off from Tulsa headed north and may have been north of Collinsville when it developed problems. It is believed that the plane was headed back south when it started losing altitude.
Richey believes that the plane was a small plane, possibly a four-seater. It is believed the plane clipped the top of a house between 13th and 14th on the south side of Broadway and then crashed into a chain-link fence and exploded. The explosion did some damage to at least one home and possibly two.
Collinsville Fire Department personnel made quick work of putting the fires out.
Police say that there's not much left of the wreckage and they will secure the area after Broadway is cleared and await the arrival of official investigators.
Law enforcement officials and fire department personnel from Collinsville and Owasso and beyond were on the scene immediately securing the area until investigators can arrive to determine the cause of the accident. No identities of the victim or victims was available Sunday evening.
Story and Photos: http://thecollinsvillenews.com
Authorities are on the scene of a small plane that crashed just before 6:00 Sunday night.
Witnesses tell 2NEWS they saw a single engine plane crash just before 6 p.m.
"I look up and I see the plane coming down in a dive," said Debra Thompson. "I hear it, and it was going really fast and then it hits the ground and flames shoot up. It was a big explosion."
At least one person was killed in the crash, authorities say.
We have a crew on the scene and will continue to update this story here and on 2NEWS at 10.
Story and Photos: http://www.kjrh.com
State troopers confirm one death after a small plane crashed on Sunday near 14th and Broadway in Collinsville. According to troopers, the plane crashed in the backyard of a Collinsville home.
