Sort of Mooney Crash

[KSMooniac]

Quote: eldeano

Normally I would say this is a lot of speculation, but given the events of the day yesterday and the time of year, this is probably a good conversation to have.  Last year we had a little bit of the same thing, and I believe one of those was a Mooney in Colorado Springs.

<snip>

Anyway, I think it comes down to, quoting Tom Collins, "some weather just isn't meant to be flown through no matter what type of aircraft you are flying".

 

[John Pleisse]

I am always below ice...listening to the radio. Being a spectator, one thing I have learned is ATC takes it seriously, always keenly aware of pireps, forcasts and reports to airmen. I am surprised they cleared him to climb. Listening to the tape, there were several begging for lower.

How did he get so high from TEB to just outside Morristown?

[Mooneymite]

A lot of speculation about airframe icing, but I took off (in a bizjet) from TEB 9 minutes prior to the TBM, headed down the same route, was held at 17,000' by NY departure/center for several miles.  I would say that the icing was "light" when we passed through the area/altitude.

Structural icing as a cause is pure speculation at this point.  Personally, I doubt it based on what I experienced.

Other possiblilities include pitot static icing/instrument error (AF447 comes to mind), or even plain old disorientation....who knows?

One thing we can all bet on, the pilot did not plan to crash and was doing all he could in a very bad situation.  The reason they call them "accidents" is that no one plans on having them.  We all need to be careful.

 

 

[Parker_Woodruff]

Quote: KSMooniac

I concur with both parts of this quote...  as I mentioned above, I'll have a potential winter WX go/no-go decision on Friday.  I have plenty of flexibility with no fixed schedule and am already mentally preparing to drive 6 hours vs. 2 in the Mooney.

 

[Hank]

Here's an article with direct links to Center audio, with a little from the accident plane. There is extensive audio from the tower vectoring a Cessna followed by a swarm of news choppers to the site.

     http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/IcingCitedInTBM700FreewayCrash_205909-1.html

There was not enough left to determine fixed vs. rotor wing! Bad, bad times . . .

Go/no-go can be complicated, and more capable aircraft just make foro a more complicated decision. I've only had to fight it twice. Once I landed short and drove the rest of the way; once I loaded the plane, called for another update then unloaded and set off on an 8 hour drive--no fun. The freezing rain in hilly terrain turned it into an overnight hotel stop with a total one-way travel time of 18+ hours. Did not have to explain to the wife why we were not flying, thanks to the ice on the road.

[smccray]

Quote: Parker_Woodruff

[KSMooniac]

Wise choice... it is un-flyable around here today with low clouds and mixed precip.  Should be sunny and cold tomorrow, though, so it is looking good for me to fly south.  I think I'll put my pre-heat rig on the plane tonight, though, and hopefully have it nice and warm in the morning.