Friday, April 01, 2022

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


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.

=====

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.  

7 comments:

  1. KERV, Kerrville, TX is home to Mooney Aerospace Group Ltd.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, very ironic in several respects, it appears. Old airplane on the factory field, still flies fine (?) but fatal while taxiing...

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  2. Replies
    1. One news story stated it this way:

      A witness saw the plane drive over a patch of grass and they advised the plane's pilot appeared unconscious, police say.

      https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/kerrville-plane-crash-17057179.php

      Delete
  3. In the 1990 and 1991 that aircraft went to south america, crossed the atlantic twice and visited 13 countries including the USSR.

    https://friendshipflight.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The friendship flights were not by this accident's pilot, but the airplane's past endeavors at that link are interesting.

      That Mooney was photographed next to Convair B-58 Hustler #668 in one of the photos in the connected FB albums:

      https://www.facebook.com/friendshipflighttexas/photos/a.269111410616652/274714466723013

      Delete