Mooney M20E Chaparral, N21BS: Fatal accident occurred March 31, 2022 at Kerrville Municipal Airport (KERV), Kerr County, Texas

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. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas

https://registry.faa.gov/N21BS

Location: Kerrville, Texas

Accident Number: CEN22LA164

Date and Time: March 31, 2022, 11:00 Local

Registration: N21BS

Aircraft: Mooney M20E

Injuries: 1 Fatal

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On March 31, 2022, about 1100 central daylight time, a Mooney M20E airplane, N21BS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kerrville, Texas. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

After a local flight, the airplane landed at the Kerrville Municipal Airport (EVR). A witness saw the airplane taxi at a high speed, and it seemed to be out of control. The witness saw the airplane taxi over a grass covered area and then onto the ramp. The airplane struck the empennage of a parked airplane (a Rockwell Commander, N25CE). The left wing of N21BS became wedged underneath the empennage of N25CE. Ground personnel responded and discovered that the pilot was slumped over the flight controls and was not responsive. Emergency responders attempted CPR, but the pilot did not recover and was declared deceased.

Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical anomalies. The airplane’s left wing sustained substantial damage.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Mooney

Registration: N21BS

Model/Series: M20E

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built:

Operator: On file

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KERV,1617 ft msl 

Observation Time: 10:55 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point: 17°C /2°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 30°

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility: 10 miles

Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Departure Point: Kerrville, TX (ERV)

Destination: Kerrville, TX

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 Fatal 

Latitude, Longitude: 29.977431,-99.085614

Aircraft landed and was taxiing, crossed grass median and impacted a parked aircraft. 

Date: 31-MAR-22

Time: 16:00:00Z

Regis#: N21BS

Aircraft Make: MOONEY

Aircraft Model: 20E

Event Type: ACCIDENT

Highest Injury: FATAL

Total Fatal: 1

Flight Crew: 1 fatal

Pax: 0

Activity: PERSONAL

Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)

Operation: 91

Aircraft Missing: No

Damage: UNKNOWN

City: KERRVILLE

State: TEXAS

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.

UPDATE: The pilot died from a cardiac-related emergency that was not caused by the crash, according to the city of Kerrville.

According to a statement from the city, a witness saw the plane land about 11 a.m. March 31 and taxi with what appeared to be an unconscious pilot. The plane traveled over a patch of grass and collided with an unoccupied, stationary aircraft. Medics were summoned and the pilot was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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A pilot lost consciousness while taxiing a plane at the Kerrville/Kerr County Airport at Louis Schreiner Field and later was pronounced dead. 

After landing, the pilot’s Mooney M20E Chaparral crossed a grass median and crashed into a parked aircraft March 31, according to a preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA reported one fatality — the pilot — and listed the incident as an accident.