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Mooney 201 lands on high power lines in MD


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Plane was listed for sale this past May with a GNS430W, so capable of flying the LPV. It then had a basic vacuum AI and DG with a Garmin 496 for weather. And basic Century IIB autopilot with STEC Alt Hold.

The flight aware track doesn't show the plane getting below 1200' (uncorrected for baro) or about 660' AGL. LPV minimums are 789 msl or 269' AGL, but power lines are more like 100 AGL at what I am guessing is most of a mile from the runway. 

So very lucky that they're okay!

 

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I just did AUS to Wilmington NC today.  We waited out the cold front but much of the NE was LIFR this afternoon ahead of and behind the system, behind that front is a strong low level shear (I had a 64kt tailwind at 7k 200 miles south of there).  On the way down the ILS just now I had to remind myself to aim for L/D max and stay on the front side of the power curve. Got +20/-15.  One of those days.  LIFR with all that shear ain’t fun.   Dark is another complicating factor. 
 

Also not sure the path - presumably he was on the RNAV GPS 14...  In which case he had a screaming tail wind and was a potential set up for a behind the curve stall wind shear event.  Either that or he tried to peak under.   Glad they are ok.   I’m pretty confident get there itis is going to play heavily in this one given the approach opposite prevailing winds.  

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I would not enjoy sitting tangled in power lines 100 feet above the ground for very long. Apparently the accident occurred around 1815 local, call it three hours ago.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/maryland-plane-crash-leaves-85k-power-two-stranded-inside-dangling-plane

Anyone have a recent update? Is the owner / pilot around here? Getting information direct from the source instead of speculating because there is no one who can answer would go a long way toward preventing future recurrences! 

And yes, I recognize that there will be a significant delay before that happens. They need to change their pants and let the shaking stop, p,us let the investigation(s) do their thing.  

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3 hours ago, kortopates said:

Plane was listed for sale this past May with a GNS430W, so capable of flying the LPV. It then had a basic vacuum AI and DG with a Garmin 496 for weather. And basic Century IIB autopilot with STEC Alt Hold.

The flight aware track doesn't show the plane getting below 1200' (uncorrected for baro) or about 660' AGL. LPV minimums are 789 msl or 269' AGL, but power lines are more like 100 AGL at what I am guessing is most of a mile from the runway. 

So very lucky that they're okay!

doc_SPECIFICATION_1726404_1653771711.pdf (barnstormers.s3.amazonaws.com)

Look at the last page of the "for sale" listing.  The owner, MFC CORP C/O PATRICK G MERKLE PRESIDENT, is looking for 5 partners.  Look at the Flightaware history - 57 flights since Sept. 2.

However, the Maryland State Police identify Patrick Merkle as the pilot of this flight.  

mooney2.png.e42961e05f4e384ea0555b1146ffa9de.png

mooney.png.e2cbbea1cd6e0788d7af04e666084341.png

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Let’s see if @jetdriven is around… kind of his neighborhood….

 

Plane has been on the evening news… with the weather people showing the visibility that dropped to about a mile or so…

Ground transportation has been crummy all day… up and down the northeast…

Best regards,

-a-

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