At about 11:45 EDT, a Mooney M20J on an IFR flight plan struck terrain in Norton, killing the pilot and four passengers. The airplane was cruising at 9,000 feet when the pilot reported he was riding in the tops of the clouds and requested a climb to 11,000 feet. He was cleared to climb to 11,000 and given a frequency change. He reported in on the new frequency at 9,000 feet and was asked if he was going to climb to 11,000. He replied, Roger. No further communications were made and radar contact was lost four minutes later. Wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or fuel exhaustion.
April 21, Norton, Va. / Mooney M20J
At about 11:45 EDT, a Mooney M20J on an IFR flight plan struck terrain in Norton, killing the pilot and four passengers. The airplane was cruising at 9,000 feet when the pilot reported he was riding in the tops of the clouds and requested a climb to 11,000 feet. He was cleared to climb to 11,000 and given a frequency change. He reported in on the new frequency at 9,000 feet and was asked if he was going to climb to 11,000. He replied, Roger. No further communications were made and radar contact was lost four minutes later. Wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or fuel exhaustion....
Key Takeaways:
- A Mooney M20J crashed in Norton, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and four passengers.
- The pilot, on an IFR flight plan, had requested and was cleared to climb from 9,000 to 11,000 feet due to cloud conditions, but lost communication shortly after confirming the climb.
- Investigations of the wreckage found no evidence of mechanical malfunction or fuel exhaustion.
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