At about 13:18 eastern time, a Mooney M20R crashed in Bluffton, killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot had filed an IFR flight plan and had taken off about nine minutes earlier. A controller at Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station said the aircraft was level at 3,000 feet on a heading of 070 degrees when the heading changed to 010 degrees and the altitude decreased, followed by a continuous turn to the right and corresponding descent in altitude. The last radar indication showed the airplane on a heading of 230 degrees and an altitude of 2,400 feet. The airplane struck high voltage power lines and burst into flames.
February 04, Bluffton, S.C. / Mooney Ovation
At about 13:18 eastern time, a Mooney M20R crashed in Bluffton, killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot had filed an IFR flight plan and had taken off about nine minutes earlier. A controller at Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station said the aircraft was level at 3,000 feet on a heading of 070 degrees when the heading changed to 010 degrees and the altitude decreased, followed by a continuous turn to the right and corresponding descent in altitude. The last radar indication showed the airplane on a heading of 230 degrees and an altitude of 2,400 feet. The airplane struck high voltage power lines and burst into flames....
Key Takeaways:
- A Mooney M20R aircraft crashed in Bluffton at approximately 13:18 ET, killing both the pilot and passenger.
- After taking off on an IFR flight plan, radar data showed the aircraft deviating from its initial stable flight at 3,000 feet with an abrupt heading change, followed by a continuous right turn and descent.
- The aircraft struck high voltage power lines at an altitude of 2,400 feet during its descent, subsequently bursting into flames.
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