Sunday, April 19, 2026

Mooney M20J 205 SE, N205MK, fatal accident occurred on April 17, 2026, in Ironton, Ohio

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N205MK

- History of Flight:
On April 17, 2026, at about 1414 local time, Mooney M20J 205 SE, N205MK, registered to Cloudskipper Inc out of Salisbury, Maryland, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Ironton, Ohio. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The cross-country personal flight originated from Ashland Regional Airport (DWU/KDWU), Ashland, Kentucky, and was destined to Salina Airport (SLN/KSLN), 
Salina, Kansas. Daylight visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to fight-tracking history:

  • On April 16, 2026, the airplane departed its homebase of Salisbury (KSBY), Maryland, on a flight to Ashland, Kentucky. The flight lasted about 3 hours.
  • On April 17, 2026, the airplane departed on the accident flight.
According to Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, at 1412:13, the airplane was seen departing runway 28 at KDWU. The airplane entered a climbing right turn to about 600 ft and 134 knots groundspeed. At 1413:45, the airplane was seen on a descent with a reported groundspeed of 90 knots. At 1414:02, the airplane was still descending with a reported groundspeed of 66 knots.

Figure 1: Departure (flightaware data ran through Google Earth)

Figure 2: End of track

- Pilot Information:
The pilot held a private pilot certificate, issued/updated on 5/22/2023, with a rating for airplane single engine land and an instrument airplane. His third class FAA medical was issued on 9/2025, with a note that he must wear corrective lens(es) to meet vision standards at all required distances.

The pilot was joined the Mooneyspace online forum on March 17, 2021, and he lasted visited the forum on November 30, 2025.

The pilot and the accident aircraft were based out of Salisbury Regional Airport (KSBY), Salisbury, Maryland.

- Airplane Information:
The accident airplane, serial number 24-3029, was manufactured in 1987. It was a 4-seat, high-performance, low-wing, retractable gear airplane. It was powered by a, four-cylinder, fuel-injected, horizontally opposed, air-cooled Lycoming I0360 SER A&C engine

According to FAA records, the airplane was involved in a gearup landing on October 13, 2019, at Nashville International Airport (BNA/KBNA), Nashville, Tennessee, that resulted in an unknown damage. The airplane was repaired and sold by Smokey Mountain Aeroplanes out of Morristown, Tennessee.

According to the Mooney M20J Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), Section 3 "Emergency Procedures":

POWER LOSS - AFTER LIFTOFF AND During CLIMB

Airspeed ........ 85 KIAS

Fuel selector .... OTHER TANK (fullest lank)

Throttle ............ .Full FORWARD

Propeller .......... Full Forward (High RPM)

Mixture .............. Full RICH

Magneto switch ......... Verify on BOTH

Fuel Boost Pump ............... ON

If engine does not restart, proceed to POWER OFF LANDING, page 3-'i0. 

- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane impacted a treeline in a residential area about 3.5 miles east of the departure runway. The airplane was destroyed by an ensuing post crash fire. Both wings and tail remained attached to the airframe. There was no notable debris field leading to the main wreckage. The "roll cage" was exposed by post crash fire but remained largely intact. The impact appears consistent with a low speed, nose level, wings level attitude.

Figure 2: Wreckage

- Airport Information:
KDWU is a non-towered public airport located 6 miles northwest of Ashland, Kentucky. The airport field elevation was 546.7 ft. The airport features a single asphalt runway 10/28 which is 5402 x 100 ft.

- Weather:
The reported weather at 1356 included: Variable winds at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 7,000 ft AGL, temperature 27 °C, dewpoint 11 °C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury.

The calculated density altitude was 1990 ft.

(1) METARs:

METAR KDWU 171756Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM FEW070 27/11 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02670106 10272 20128 58014 $

METAR KDWU 171856Z AUTO 18004KT 10SM CLR 26/09 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02610089 $

(2) Area Forecast Discussion:

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
135 PM EDT Fri Apr 17 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes to the previous forecast were made at
this time.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) A front is expected Saturday afternoon and evening, with
  another round of potentially severe thunderstorms. Colder air
  filters in behind the front.

- 2) Cooler and drier to start next week.


&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

Another round of strong to severe storms is possible Saturday
afternoon and evening, as a strong cold front moves into the area.
There does however remain some uncertainty Saturday concerning
severe potential. Convection associated with the front today across
the midwest, should spread ample cloud cover into the region for
Saturday. In addition, there remains some concern as to any remnant
outflow boundaries from todays convection, and how far east they are
able to progress, thereby limiting instability/severe potential by
the time the front actually arrives. Regardless, with strong, deep
layer shear expected, there could still be a severe threat,
particularly if the aforementioned factors do not limit
destabilization, with damaging winds, and potentially severe
hail with any storms. SPC continues to highlight the majority
of the area in a slight risk for Saturday. The good news with
this system, is much of the area should get a wetting rain out
of it, at least temporarily dampening fire concerns.

Behind the front, strong CAA will allow for gusty winds to take hold
across the area on Sunday, as well as usher in much cooler air as of
late. There could even be a few snowflakes on Sunday into Sunday
night/Monday across the higher terrain of the northern mountains,
as a weak shortwave dives south and east into the area.

KEY MESSAGE 2...


Behind the departing shortwave Monday, high pressure will continue
to nudge into the area. There is the potential for frost/freeze
headlines early next week, depending on clearing/decoupling of winds
at night. Otherwise, a very dry air mass will take hold across the
area. Overall, winds at this point are not expected to be enough to
warrant red flag headlines.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
VFR conditions with generally light winds through 16Z when winds
will become gusty at times, with occasional gusts in the teens
to lower 20 kts. Showers and storms will move into SE Ohio
towards the end of the TAF period. Some storms could be strong
to severe with large hail and strong, erratic wind gusts.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Although confidence is low, patchy MVFR/IFR
fog is possible tonight at some TAF sites.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

UTC 1HRLY       12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23
EDT 1HRLY       08   09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 18Z SATURDAY...
Brief periods of MVFR to IFR restrictions are possible within
showers and thunderstorms late Saturday into Sunday.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...None.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...SL
AVIATION...SL

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