Early Analysis: Mooney M20J Power Line Strike November 27, 2022 Gaithersburg, MD

ASI Senior Vice President, Richard McSpadden, CFII, MEI, SES, MES, former Commander/Flight Leader for the USAF Thunderbirds, provides early analysis of an accident on November 27, 2022, when a Mooney M20J struck power lines during final approach to land at Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, MD.
In this Early Analysis video, the AOPA Air Safety Institute makes a preliminary assessment of the accident, addressing notable portions of the flight and highlighting areas the NTSB will likely investigate to determine a probable cause.
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[@AirSafetyInstitute]

UPDATE: The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report (ERA23LA071) regarding the investigation into the power line tower strike of a Mooney M20J 201 (N201RF). data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106368/pdf

[@GA-in4mw]

I, as a pilot and an airplane owner, see this channel always provide educational information that maintain a safer aviation and give better understanding while other channels just relaying information based on the news. Specifically to this accident, whilst everyone else was criticizing the pilot and giving chair flying ideas, this channel however, respectfully provided all surrounding details. Good job sir.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Thank you.

[@JeepCherokeeful]

So you’re saying these accidents are rarely the pilots fault? Mostly it comes down to pure stupidity for these light aircraft

[@danielbond9755]

@@JeepCherokeeful I am assuming that you have never made a “stupid” decision, nor known anyone who is ordinarily smart, but made a bad decision. The rest of us, who are mere humans with biological brains, can and do make bad decisions some times, which is why we study these accidents. That way, we can build safety systems that are better than just our fallible brains. Of course, you learn nothing by just declaring that other people are stupid.

[@formulaben]

God forbid we are even remotely critical of those who are recklessly putting other peoples lives in danger. We don't need less shaming, we need MORE shaming of morons who fly like this.

[@danielbond9755]

@@formulaben As long as you assume that other people are morons, you fail to learn the lesson that it could happen to you.

[@iamkewl1]

There’s another waypoint BECKA, as opposed to BEGKA, just northwest. Based on that initial turn, looks like he was going direct BECKA.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

This is an excellent observation! Thank you!! That seems very likely the cause of the confusion as the pilot is inbound and probably rattled him a little. We've passed this on to the NTSB and they thanked us for the observation. May we get your contact so we can send you an Air Safety Institute tee-shirt!

[@tommyrjensen]

@@richardmcspadden9189 Has it ever been considered for waypoints that are geographically close, to use names that are not easy to confuse, similarly to the alpha-bravo-charlie alphabet?

[@toddb930]

Even though I'm not a pilot, I love listening to Richard describe an early analysis of what possibly took place .

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Thank you for the kind remarks!

[@AnonyMous-jf4lc]

If you’re an aviation enthusiast, don’t wait another day to start. Go fly!

[@toddb930]

@@AnonyMous-jf4lc I would love to. When I retired 4 years ago I had the time and money to learn how to fly. But at 65 I decided against starting into it because of my deteriorating senses including sense of balance.

[@HiddenWindshield]

@@toddb930 In many cases, a person's sense of balance can actually be a _liability_ rather than an asset. The human vestibular system wasn't designed for flight and is easily confused, so part of learning to fly is learning to ignore your own senses and focus on the instruments. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but if you already know your sense of balance can't be trusted, that might actually make you a _better_ pilot.

[@miguelquiroz1550]

Richard will be missed. Big lost to our aviation community.

[@andrewredmon4197]

Kudos to the first responders! I live in the area and was about to go to bed, but I had to stay up and watch this rescue. The weather was really crappy that night. Glad the pilot and passenger are going to be ok.

[@andik2329]

I have a military flying background and hold an ATP. One lesson I learned on an approach where the weather was at minimum was my tendency to decent below glideslope when I saw the ground, instead of remaining on glideslope and waiting until the runway environment is insight. You got to stay on the glidepath until the runway environment is insight !!!!

[@kkiwi54]

That was my first thought - he saw the ground and decided to continue his approach visually

[@AnonyMous-jf4lc]

LIFR at night is about as difficult as you can get. The navigation issues preceding the approach are enough to let a pilot know they’re already over their head. Wait for the weather!

[@Mikinct]

They should provide parking garages in the sky suspended fir planes ti wait out bad weather. Like in star wars when millennium falcon entered death star on approach?

[@billylain7456]

I'm not a pilot...just an aviation enthusiast. This is an excellent video. Explained in a way that even I understood. Thank you.

[@bobmillerick300]

Looks like a case of "Get there-itis" combined with scud running to get down Juuussssst a little lower....if I can get just a little lower i'll see the approach lights even though I'm way below mins.

[@JD10Driver]

A lot of channels go into the details of the accident, but almost none take the next step, which is to produce the well thought out discussion of the lessons learned and how to apply them. This one does and the community is much better off for it. Thank you for the excellent content.

[@nuttincowboy9430]

The angle of the power lines as they relate to the runway saved those people's lives. Instead of the typical stop and drop the lines acted as a shock absorber as they reduced the aircraft's speed and redirected it before impact. Getting stuck in the tower was another fantastic stroke of luck. Wrecking your airplane will certainly wreck your day, but they're alive to tell the tale and that's as good as a holiday gift gets. Thanks for the thoughtful work.

[@deani2431]

Love these early after the fact analysis. Lessons to be learned for sure. Many thanks Richard!!

[@griam7641]

Richard is always very informative and nonjudgmental in these preliminary videos. There are too many “experts” out there who always seem to know all the “facts”.

[@stevevenn1]

We "know" who you are "talking" about. I watch both.

[@exit1368]

Thanks for this very articulate & thoughtful commentary. As you alluded in the first words, several things converged at the wrong time - how unfortunate. Hindsight is 20/20, but this ‘accident chain’ likely started some hours prior. Hopefully, some will learn and apply for their future GA adventures.

[@jpdunamislodge]

Your hosting these videos is one of the smartest things that I’ve seen AOPA do in my 40 years of flying. In my opinion it has seemed like they have always been staffed by people that could not truly make it in the real world aviation industry and run by people with more money than sense looking only for a way to make even more money to support their own flying habits. Just my assessment and experience. Excellent work as usual Sir. 👍🏻

[@Bren39]

I remember many years ago when I was starting out..I flew an airplane to low minimums. I could see I was to the right of course and while processing that I descended below minimums..I couldn't see anything and suddenly saw power lines passing just below me.. No more than 20-30 ft... That woke me up and did a go around and diverted to another airport. I often think about that day how close I came to certain death.

[@markennes5208]

Apparently hitting power lines in a small plane is survivable! Who knew? :-)

[@RMR1]

Yeah, that odd choice of words --- "certain death" -- caught my attention as well. Not a big deal at all, but it's just odd given the accident in this video was not fatal. "Likely death"? Sure. But hitting power lines is far from always being fatal. Glad you're OK and you learned a valuable lesson from the ordeal. I'm sure it's made you a better and safer pilot.

[@equineorthotics]

I understand the poster’s point. In most cases a power line strike acts as a pivot causing a sudden rotation down into a ground impact. In this case the fact that the Mooney was configured for landing and did not strike the ground may have mitigated and avoided the more usual effects?

[@dfeuer]

@@equineorthotics It must've been very lucky with regard to just how it hit to avoid a likely-catastrophic direct crash into the tower but also avoid falling to the ground.

[@apackwestbound5946]

Great advice about not transitioning too early from the instruments to the outside view especially with ragged bases and visibility at or near minimums for the approach.. A respected senior instructor told me about technique/tip that decades ago while we were working on low visibility approaches (CAT II) and single engine ILS in a simulator session. His point was that the instruments had done a great job getting me to the DA, so why not keep them in your scan as you transition to the visual portion rather than entirely dropping the instruments out of my scan for the landing. You have to be comfortable doing this stuff and that means good training and keeping current with the airplane, equipment and airspace. In the airline world we fly all the time; three to four days a week. If you are rusty, not really confident or experienced and then go out at night flying single pilot IFR into low IFR weather that is not the ideal place to build experience. It is great if you survive, but the hazards and risks are high. I know that in the United States visibility is all one needs for minimums, not ceilings (cloud height-straight in minimums & not circling). But honestly if the reported ceilings are at 200' what is this pilot thinking he/she will see when they arrive at the RNAV minimums which are presumably well above 200'?

[@flitetym]

Kindly indulge my slight correction, for I think you’re being a tad “loose” with the regs: §91.175 Takeoff and landing under IFR. c) Operation below DA/DH or MDA. (1) The aircraft is continuously in a position from which a descent to a landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers (2) The flight visibility is not less than the visibility prescribed in the standard instrument approach being used These two requisites mean it is the responsibility of the PIC to establish that the required *slant range* visibility exists at the expected position on the approach path in order to continue to landing.

[@princesanahita]

Approach needs to be more specific when they say “Contact Tower”

[@riverraisin1]

Oh, that was good. That was REALLY good.

[@Chellz801]

These folks were very fortunate to survive and that the plane didn’t crash to the ground after they hit the lines and tower. Hope they heal up and everyone learns from this.

[@chuckkendzierski7385]

Great analysis. At 4:47 in video, he actually hit the towers further to the left by the strip mall and McDonalds. I try not to judge other pilots as I wasn’t in the cockpit experiencing what he was experiencing. I’ve shot that approach in the past. Tough conditions for sure that night w/ 200 foot ceilings (below all approach mins). I was unable to contact KGAI AWOS by their phone number shortly after incident which I thought was strange. Airport was NOTAM’ed closed shortly after.

[@RobtheAviator]

Considering they knocked out power to 100,000 people (I heard), it’s possible the AWOS lost power?

[@kentd4762]

Thank you as always, Richard, for the quick and informative analysis!

[@BlueBaron3339]

Thorough, fair, and insightful as always. Tough situation for many reasons.

[@wraithconscience]

Love these analyses -- forensic, logical, calm -- wonderful! Not a pilot but used to fly with my pilot neighbor weekends as a teenager -- gliders, cessnas and even a doorless crop-duster. Mr. McSpadden's expert and wise analyses makes me all the more grateful for the safe flying I was privileged to enjoy thorugh the generosity of a very kind, very skiled pilot- neighbor. Thank you. Will keep watching!

[@JustMe00257]

Can't say enough good things about this channel. Extremely professional and invaluable.

[@mikeholmstrom1899]

My father was a private pilot, and subscribed to the AOPA magazine. I would read them, as well. I find the approach to safety totally different in the US Aviation world, than say petroleum world. Overhauls after a specific amount of time in Aviation, versus run until it fails in petroleum production. The accident here reminds me of the one in Ontario Calif., where a private plane hit high tension power lines, and got entangled in them, in 1986.

[@davidb6576]

Great presentation and very informative! Learned much more than from the first video I watched on this incident.

[@damondeluca]

Thank you so much for these great videos!!!!

[@mikeShack888]

Thank you for you comment and explanation.

[@bichus007]

Hitting the power line instead of crashing short of the runway probably saved their lives….

[@roscoejones4515]

Excellent analysis as always!

[@een_schildpad]

These analysis are so great! An awesome job reviewing the factors and identifying learning opportunities 💯

[@joelobryan1212]

being absolutely solid with your skill and familiarization of the exact buttonology of a modern avionics is critical in real night IMC. even just a few seconds wasted trying to understanding a fat-finger error on a GPS or AP can be too distracting allowing you to get behind the airplane and approach.

[@bradtaylor5930]

Thank you Richard for sharing your informed insights on this challenging situation. Living local to the airport, spending more time navigating a submarine than an airplane (some lessons) and both a control systems engineer and software engineer, root cause analysis and applying lessons learned is critical! Thank you!

[@j.gregory5669]

single-pilot IFR at night is no joke…he should have never taken off and is lucky to be alive.

[@kennyw871]

As always, a very well thought-out preliminary analysis of an aviation mishap. This is difficult to put a number on, but I'm certain you save a lot of lives (and limbs) through your presentations. Thank you for the tireless effort and time you put into these case studies.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

This comment means a lot to us here. Thank you. It's why we do them.

[@survivalhealthandhealingtv5651]

Great job teaching the details of this video absolutely loved it keep teaching thank you so much.

[@nappozulp4199]

As a new pilot, I found the suggestion of moving into a holding pattern to resolve issues that might be problematic immensely helpful…no need to land your airplane until your in complete control.

[@Ts-zy4bw]

As a new pilot, you should fess up to ATC quickly and ask for vectors to safely get to an altitude clear of clouds. A holding pattern in the soup isn’t a big deal for an instrument rated pilot but if you’re new you need to get in the clear. Standard rate turns, don’t rush your control movements and keep everything slow and deliberate. Think 3x before doing anything and remain calm.

[@karlsandin4515]

Absolutely, having confidence in getting into a hold and remaining in it is at the upmost importance in situations as this

[@tonymatulonis2136]

Great overview and good lessons to apply to my vfr private training even though this was ifr flying.

[@simey5335]

Very insightful and well explained. Thanks.

[@miguelquiroz1550]

We will miss This man. RIP Richard Mcspadden.

[@tinman8972]

A great video, thank you. Single pilot night IMC approaches to minimums is one of the most labor-intensive things most of us will ever do. With so many things that CAN go wrong, it's amazing that we pull it off a large percentage of the time.

[@vampirebrianne]

Thank you for another informative video. I have flying background and I appreciate a thoughtful, well articulated review of facts. Keep up the good work!

[@eddiexoc8430]

Very professional presentation. Thank you for making these videos.

[@miamifireLT]

Excellent analysis. Great tips at the end.

[@brianbrickley8229]

Great stuff. Thanks

[@themalacast]

I never thought it was possible to do an "early analysis" worth a damn until I saw this series. Incredible job.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Thank you. They are tricky to do. People are curious to understand accidents, so we try to offer what's known and then discuss possibilities and lessons learned. We work to be careful to realize that we won't know for sure what happened and all of the "factors" until the NTSB finishes their work.

[@loupitou06fl]

Glad to hear the pilot survived. Single pilot night Low IFR to minimums is one of the most demanding scenario. I busted minimums on approach more often that I care to admit - this video is a great reminder that these minimums are here for a reason. Excellent point on the transition IFR-VFR on approach.

[@dk138nyc]

Outstanding job. Great work. I’m a longtime inactive CSEL/PSES/Inst pilot. Every pilot can learn from analyses like this.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Thank you. That is our hope and why we produce these.

[@dk138nyc]

@@richardmcspadden9189 do you attended EAA AirVenture? If so, I’d like to meet you.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

@@dk138nyc Yes! every year and usually give a couple of seminars. Drop by the AOPA tent this year. I'm usually in and around there. Also attend Sun-n-Fun. Stop in and say hi!

[@dk138nyc]

I will look for you! We live in Shawano WI, 60 miles north of OSH.

[@R2Bl3nd]

This was very easy to understand. I appreciate that I now have a picture of the known details of the situation and what all the missing pieces are. You succinctly filled us in on everything else but those missing pieces. And now we can anticipate what might be coming. Thank you!

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Thanks! Our AOPA team has a lot of depth and breadth to help us pull the important facts at this early stage.

[@kenriehl7852]

Decided to go down and take a peek. Just the wrong time to try it.

[@riverraisin1]

What he saw, "shocked" him.

[@justplanefred]

I was waiting for your early analysis of this as I knew it would be more detailed than the first couple of videos that came out shortly after the incident. Plus it's only two counties away from me so it hits kinda close to home even though I'm not familiar with the facility or approach there.

[@stefanschutz5166]

Thank you from Amsterdam.

[@VideoNOLA]

Pilot: "Hey, look, blinking red lights. Must be the runway! Descending now."

[@kiwikeith7633]

Regarding the comment about "low airspeed". It reminds me of a fright I got. I was a low time, newly licenced private pilot - VFR only. I observed light aircraft arriving with a very steep approach to that un-serviced airfield. So I thought I would do circuits to experience it too - STUPID. I set my altitude much higher over the fence, I was committed, before I realised the danger. My airspeed dropped to stall onset alarm, I applied full power, which seemed to make no difference. I plummeted towards the ground without dropping a wing. I wasn't measuring it, but I figure my approach must have been around 45-Degrees. I breathed some sigh of relief as flight was restored just above the ground, enabling me to control enough to not bend the undercarriage. Now my instructor never de-briefed me, and looking back, I think his tuition was incomplete and negligent. Looking at videos today, I am impressed by the professionalism of flight training today. It is nothing like I received. But I digressed. I think I came down in a wind-shear. My air-speed was ALARMING. So if this Mooney hit a wind-shear in IMC, he would have few options, and little indication apart from airspeed, and would be so busy looking to survive he could not communicate. Shear in IMC close to the ground is a terrible idea.

[@NDCDA62]

Great factual presentation as always - congratulations! [IFR MEP Pilot]

[@jaydibernardo4320]

There was a small single plane accident in Torrance CA today, crashed at the local airport. I'm interested to see if you will offer an opinion. Sadly two people perished. Thx for all the videos, I've learned a lot.

[@R2Bl3nd]

One thing I want to know about this is what would have happened if the power line wasn't there. I'm guessing it saved the life of those on board. I wonder what the odds really were of this happening without ending in their fatalities.

[@rotorheadv8]

I think a decent into the trees was a real possibility.

[@fyremanjef]

9 years ago a jet engine plane crashed into a house and burned several others on approach to The same airport

[@riverraisin1]

My thoughts exactly.

[@Bruce.-Wayne]

That was in my neck of the woods in Montgomery county....this incident knocked out power for many and schools were closed for that day....Glad they survived

[@rodolfoayalajr.8589]

Thank you for this educational video friend. Amen for life. Amen 🙏

[@toldt]

Although you state he struck the power lines several times, I'm not sure he hit the lines. He certainly struck and became entangled in a tower. Appreciate your videos, insight, and avoidance of major speculation. You're providing a service on behalf of AOPA by providing safety suggestions to other pilots - the learning opportunities.

[@jonathanwilliams8873]

Yes. There are two parallel sets of towers, with four three-phase transmission circuits (two three-phase circuits on each tower set). According to Pepco briefings, the airplane actually struck the lines of the nearest sets of towers first, severing one or more, before becoming embedded in one of the farther towers.

[@michaelforseth8609]

It's amazing that they survived!

[@m118lr]

SEVERAL Miracles here..were involved to reach its conclusion. I CANNOT even imagine the realization of THEIR surroundings once they were truly conscience and aware of their plight at the SUDDEN STOP..! Very fortunate..

[@anthonygrizzly6924]

So glad he survived! What a scary visual of the plane suspended by fatal electricity!

[@On-Our-Radar-24News]

Great analysis. I especially appreciate the ADSB track info overlayed with the approach fixes and ATC info.

[@cjhickspe1399]

I think the comment at 12:00 about transitioning to VFR is very likely. Thank you for another great analysis.

[@apocalypse487]

Visibility was pretty bad that night. It was night time, raining, windy, and a little foggy. It was a really bad combination. I know some people that were there for the rescue. They had to dispatch all personell. Thanks for the explanation. Google actually routed me to a really good video.

[@845SiM]

Wow, so glad the people survived this accident. This must be rare to hit the actual tower? Great job by the emergency crews that can’t have been a straight forward rescue🙏🏼

[@RosssRoyce]

That’s a Power-line-approach! No kidding though, 200 feet overcast and 1,5 miles visibility is darn bad!!

[@bruceabrahamsen221]

Leave that weather to the professionals.

[@gregdetwiler9220]

They were extraordinarily lucky. I’ve got a lot of flight time and I know that their survival was nothing short of a miracle.

[@imo8249]

Question, don't they always go over the tower instead of the wire ?

[@davidwhite8633]

I’d be interested to know if there was a wind shear line , as you mentioned ; if there was , and it was inside the FAF , then he’d be losing IAS at some point on the glide slope and pitching down to get it back up . Without a sufficient and timely power increase those wires would be waiting.

[@johnemerson1363]

I remember flying in New Jersey on a windy day and descending toward my home base and encountering a heavy jolt which was wind shear that really rattled my teeth. I would not have liked to be in the soup when I hit it. I'm only 5'8" and I hit my head on the overhead.

[@bernieschiff5919]

I used to fly a 201, I agree, wind shear on the approach might have been a factor. What also may not have helped is dropping the gear early on the approach; it makes an effective airbrake; an immediate power increase would have been needed to recover the lost altitude. Was he alert and paying attention? Was he tired after a stress filled day? Or became fixated on hoping to spot the approach lights he had turned up and lost awareness of obstacles or where they were?

[@Starboatbuilder]

Hi But once again there obstacles at the edge of the runway when conditions are poor it catches the airplane. Waiting for more details. Good summary

[@brethamilton8878]

Anyone know if there was a NOTAM for lightning at the destination airport?

[@Chr15T]

After initial navigation issues, the pilot flew a fine line on the final approach course up to the FAF, and stayed on that final approach course afterwards. The only issue was the altitude. There is a strong tendency, in bad weather and with ground becoming suddenly visible, to descend. Possibly it was this psychological pressure that got him. Luckily, the pilot survived, so he will be able to tell us what happened.

[@SeligTiles]

He foolishly did an interview with first responders. He has a history with the faa.

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

Is this particular brand or model built differently from similar planes from other manufacturers? The passenger compartment looks very robust compared to other accidents where an immovable object got in the way.

[@jeffhiner]

Given the low field altimeter setting at the time (29.45) and the pilot's descent below MDA, I'm curious if the altimeter was incorrectly set higher before the approach. After a long flight against 50 knot headwinds it may have been tempting to try to get down to minimums quickly to try to spot the airport and get on the ground. But an altimeter incorrectly set at 29.92 would have placed the aircraft around 500 ft MSL, which is about where the power lines were.

[@bradtaylor5930]

This has been my question. Or whether the 80' adjustment was made as required if KGAI weather was out as well as their runway lights and they used IAD?

[@CraigGood]

Speculation: It could be tempting to sneak under the weather to take a look.

[@frankarrison5872]

There was a PA-31 Cheyenne that went missed on the RNAV 14 at KGAI about 20 minutes ahead of the Mooney. I didn't hear ATC tell the Mooney pilot of this miss. Too bad. If the Mooney pilot had known, it may have given him second thoughts about attempting the approach. (The Cheyenne diverted to KFDK.)

[@RVFlyer]

The controller told him about the Cheyanne going missed and diverting to FDK 10 min before they crashed @ 5:16:44 on the ATC Live tape

[@frankarrison5872]

@@RVFlyer It sounds to me as if that call from the controller about the Cheyenne is to a third plane who is behind the Mooney, not to the Mooney. Of course, the Mooney pilot may have heard that call too, if he happened to be paying attention on frequency.

[@joshuabrunetti2001]

Been a busy year for Commander McSpadden

[@anonymous-nobody1]

One comment, ceiling is NOT limiting for the approach, visibility is, the visibility required for the approach was 1 mile and the reported visability was 1 1/4 miles. Yes the ceiling was reported as being below minimum and he probably wasn't going to get in, but again ceiling is not limiting for the approach. Oh and Part 91 you can shoot the approach regardless of what the reported visibility and ceiling were.

[@nealhere]

was that altimeter setting alert from atc a key element in the scenario?

[@treetopflight7624]

it could have been. If the pilot had not input the current altimeter, the ATC call would have prompted him to check. An incorrect setting may have indicated a higher than actual altitude. For most pilots, updating the altimeter setting with the ATIS report is standard, but he may have been pondering the "200 overcast" issue by the time ATIS reported altimeter..

[@flyod26]

Please do a follow up video with what the NTSB found to be the cause of the accident, Thanks.

[@richardmcspadden9189]

Check back on this page in the comments section. We’ll update any significant NTSB reports.

[@SafakSahin]

he probably wanted to get below the clouds to see

[@user-ej9jq2zf1y]

The old adage of get-homeitis....it can be the same thing as get-down-itis. Which both can be occurring simultaneously which can become deadly especially when flying in hard IMC conditions. The ongoing issue of constantly being below RNAV waypoint altitudes seemed to become more prevalent following a predictable pattern the closer he got to the airport. I am a retired firefighter (captain) all I can say is even if in serious conditions all occupants in that Mooney were very lucky with the plane hitting those ultra high-voltage power lines and with the plane hanging suspended. It just was not their time to go on that horrible night!

[@djchemical]

Can we get some videos from the old format back in rotation?

[@teekay_1]

This was about 15 minutes from my house, and we were fortunate not to lose power. It was high drama, although with the thick fog, you couldn't really see much on the live streams from the local channels. I had to wonder... how did they get the people inside water, how did they go to the bathroom.... so many questions.

[@toxaq]

The towers don't appear to be in line with the runway, so he wasn't even lined up? Disoriented and mistook the lights on the tower for the runway?

[@mzaite]

You can see twice past the FAF he drifted left of course. The wind would have helped that happen.

[@RK-kn1ud]

I've sen lots of videos regarding this accident, but nobody seems to mention lighting on the power lines. Was it required? Was it working? Does it matter? You have a TON of acronyms after your name...so I suspect you have some knowledge about tower lighting. I have only have an amateurs experience about this topic, so I hope you can reply and share your knowledge.

[@leilanirocks]

As usual, great analysis. Why did this pilot lose trust in his instruments so close to the runway? It will be interesting to see the final NTSB report. Thank goodness the PIC can be directly questioned in this case, and that all involved, including the rescue and power crews will be okay.

[@treetopflight7624]

it is very possible that he was at (or maybe a little below) the DA and then saw the ground. He may have dropped down lower to maintain ground visibility assuming he could visually finish the approach. There is a tremendous sense of relief when you come out of the soup, and a natural tendency to not want to go back in. If this is what happened, it is obviously not the correct procedure.

[@leilanirocks]

@@treetopflight7624 I agree. I am not a pilot, yet I felt this was a likely contributing factor. It is only human to seek comfort in a stressful situation, and seeing those lights may have provided the PIC, falsely in this case, a sense of comfort and confidence.

[@doctriestosew4333]

I thought about learning to fly, but know I'm scared 😨. Been binge watching these accidents/fatal episodes. Seem the only time to fly if you are vfr is day time when the weather is good, short trips and get weather updates along the way

[@ralphe5842]

Funny I was just thinking he’d be in trouble in Norfolk (my home town) when you said the same thing

[@davewilson9772]

First guess for me would be was the pilot flying lower to out of the cloud and get a visual on the runway.

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

Holy crap, seeing that crashed plane caught up in the powerlines is a sobering image.

[@webcucciolo]

Wonder if this pilot ever filled (and updated) his personal minima. I did 300ft actual IFR in day conditions with my instructor, and I feel comfortable with 500ft ceiling on my own (I hVr limited experience, PPL, CPL, IFR, Multi, just 350 hrs total. Probably this guy has 2000 hrs), and 200ft at night would definitely be out of my personal minima. So I would go to alternate or find some other solution, leaving the hard approach as last resort. But most pilots I know "change" their personal minima in-flight

[@metrazol]

I figured you'd cover this considering it's what... 30 minutes from the AOPA office?

[@vgrof2315]

"Tailwind coming out of the SE"? Only when he turned NW briefly for some reason. ??

[@soccerguy2433]

(IF) is intermediate fix. (IAF) is initial approach fix.

[@wademchenry1560]

It couldn't resist the blue light.

[@francinecorry633]

Isn`t every landing a go around? Natural human instincts is go lower and try to see. Got weather report? Got complacency? Must have been a helluva ride.

[@gunsaway1]

Lucky man!