Mooney 201 lands on high power lines in MD

[ArtVandelay]

Gaithersburg MD, Mooney N201RP or maybe RF landed in high power lines, reports say they are OK.

Foxnews reported.

[RoundTwo]

4 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said:

 

Gaithersburg MD, Mooney N201RP or maybe RF landed in high power lines, reports say they are OK.

Foxnews reported.

 

N201RF

[hubcap]

N201RF 

The weather was apparently “low IFR” at the time.

[cferr59]

That is one lucky Mooney.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N201RF

[1964-M20E]

Hopefully they can get them down safely.

 

 

[201Steve]

Wonder if he lost power. Pretty far from airport to be 150’ 

[DXB]

YIKES.  1 1/4SM BR OVC002 at KGAI - looks like on final approach?.  I delayed my flight home to the NE until tomorrow for weather reasons.  

@jetdriven is based there (not his plane).

 

[Ragsf15e]

Yikes.

[cujet]

I hope they get the folks out before the wind blows and the plane falls down. 

[Guest]

The power wires aren’t too far from the airport 

[M20F]

[ragedracer1977]

[EricJ]

Holy smokes that looks terrifying.

 

[kortopates]

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!

 

[aviatoreb]

Wow.  Hopefully its just bruised egos and insurance to deal with tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.  That plane looks quite in tact.  The cables and poles seem to have caught it like a spring loaded landing.

[bradp]

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.  

[toto]

Looks like the utility company is updating via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/PepcoConnect/status/1597013698287063040

[Will.iam]

[aviatoreb]

Oh my gosh that looks so scary for them hanging up there for hours.  Hopefully injures are minimal.

[Hank]

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.  

[hammdo]

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/small-plane-crashes-into-power-lines-in-montgomery-county-causing-widespread-power-outages

 

N201RF

 

https://aircraft-data.com/N201RF

[Ragsf15e]

If anyone on MS had this happen to them and wasn’t injured, they better be courageous enough to make some posts on the thread while awaiting rescue!

ps, I really hope they are ok.

[PT20J]

Navy pilot going for the three wire? No grade. But, lucky.

[1980Mooney]

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.  

[carusoam]

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-