Live Flight Tracking

This pilot crashed the same plane at the same airport back in April. Make that, he landed gear up back in April and done quite a bit of damage to his M20. Today, on climb out he crashed the same Mooney M20K and was killed. The pilot is from North Carolina. Here is the update from Augusta Chronicle. By the way, this is where I took my lessons at.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2011-07-18/plane-crash-reported-augusta-regional-airport?v=1310999869

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2011-07-18/plane-crash-reported-augusta-regional-airport?v=1310996188

Update on the evening news tonight. Tail number N777CV remained at Augusta Bush Field for repairs from the gear up landing back in April. Flight aware shows that flight as going to Burke County which is true but he had to divert to AGS because of fog.

The owner had traveled to Augusta to pick his plane up and take it back to NC. A witness said that during climb out, he heard a loud bang and saw a piece of metal fall from the plane. The pilot/owner tried to circle back to the main runway but nosed down on the secondary runway and exploded.

Sad...

UPDATE... Plane lost new prop/cause of crash.

http://www.wbtv.com/story/15196616/report-propeller-separated-from-plane-in-deadly-crash-killing-doctor

Wow. The article states that the "plane" separated from the prop. I guess you could look at it that way.

The whole story raises so many questions: Prop strike a few months before, replaced prop, but what about engine internals,ie crank shaft? What happens to balance when prop separates since it is so far forward of cg. Was the cause the prop separating or did he fall victim to the "impossible" turn. What were his options straight ahead? ( I always check the surrounding areas of a new airport on google earth to see what's out there in the event of a problem). Guess they will figure it out.

Poor guy, can't imagine the shock of that happening and wonder if I could hold it together if it happened to me.

When you lose a prop it's like feathering one. BUT BETTER! there is no drag at all!
The imposable turn becomes more like a good idea when you get rid of all that drag.

Now there is prob a freak-out factor when he did lose it!

Yeah, I see what you mean about the drag, but that is a lot of weight to loose so far forward of cg and in a climb. I know they said he turned back, but I would imagine it was so sudden and the pitch up so fast when the prop came off due to the loss of weight so far forward, (with the immediate and simultaneous loss of all thrust), that I would think it would put you in an instant stall with no altitude to recover. You would have to be real cool & quick to push that nose down.

I doubt the arm changed to an Out-of Aft CG. He could still fly the airplane. I've held several Props.

too bad he didn't make it

yeah, I guess they are light enough. Sucks all around.

Saw it happen..informed the tower of what we heard during take off. Sounded like the prop tips were going sonic. Insanely loud. Actually put fingers in my ears at 100yds from runway. Not right at all. Heard he had a 2 blade prop installed instead of the 3 blade with a ferry permit. He tried to turn final on the cross runway but something flew off and hacked the starboard wing tip then he rolled it in. Loud pop when the object departed then sound of the wing strike then silence till impact. We assumed propeller seperated due to sonic issues and hit the wing. Never had the NTSB ask any of us about it.