The airplane collided with the ground shortly after takeoff at about 1225 Eastern time. The solo private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane came to rest on airport property and was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot had a gear-up landing accident with the same airplane on April 11, 2011. Maintenance personnel prepped the airplane for a ferry flight by removing the damaged three-blade propeller and replacing it with a two-blade prop. The main landing gear was secured in the extended position due to the previous accident. During initial climb, witnesses reported the engine sounded extremely loud. The sound increased, followed by a loud “bang.” A witness observed the propeller separate from the airplane and fall to the ground, followed by the airplane in a nose-down spiral. The airplane impacted the ground and a post-crash fire ensued.
July 18, 2011, Augusta, Ga., Mooney M20K
The airplane collided with the ground shortly after takeoff at about 1225 Eastern time. The solo private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane came to rest on airport property and was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot had a gear-up landing accident with the same airplane on April 11, 2011.
Key Takeaways:
- A solo private pilot was fatally injured when their airplane crashed shortly after takeoff following a mid-flight propeller separation.
- The accident aircraft had previously sustained damage in a gear-up landing and was equipped with a replacement two-blade propeller for a ferry flight, with the landing gear secured extended.
- Witnesses reported an increasingly loud engine sound followed by a "bang" before observing the propeller detach and the airplane spiral to the ground.
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