NTSB Identification: ERA12FA438
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 11, 2012 in Moscow, TN
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N764RV
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 11, 2012, about 0907 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR20, N764RV, registered to Vaughn Aviation LLC and operated by an individual, sustained substantial damaged from tree and terrain impact near Moscow, Tennessee. The pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from Millington Regional Jetport Airport (NQA), Millington, Tennessee, about 0825, for an intended destination of Pensacola, Florida.

Several witnesses near the accident site heard a loud revving engine before the sound of an explosion. Smoke was seen coming from an open meadow and the authorities were notified of a possible airplane crash. One witness located approximately 1/3 of a mile southwest of the accident site observed the airplane descending, at a level attitude, about 100 feet (ft) above the ground when it caught his attention. The airplane was traveling at high rate of speed and flying from the west to the northeast moments before the explosion was heard. Authorities and first responders to the accident reported at that time the weather was low cloud ceilings and drizzling rain.

The pilot, age 48, held a Federal Aviation Administration private pilot certificate with rating for airplane single engine land. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on July 28, 2010, with no limitations. At that time he documented a total time of 285 civilian flight hours.

The NQA 0835 METAR was winds variable at 4 knots; visibility 6 statute miles, mist, overcast clouds at 900 above ground level, temperature 24 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 22 degrees C; altimeter 29.99.

Examination of the accident site showed the airplane’s energy path was on an estimated 035-degree heading. The airplane’s initial collision was with the top of a 40 foot tall tree. The accident site elevation was 498 feet msl. The airplane impacted terrain about 70 feet forward of the impacted tree. The descent angle between the tree and terrain was approximately 60-degrees. The initial ground impact crater measured approximate 6 feet wide by 6 feet long and was followed by a ground scar approximately 20 feet wide by 15 feet long, which were consistent in size and dimension to the leading edge of the right wing, the right main landing gear, and left main landing gear; at a right wing low attitude at impact. The debris field extended outward approximately 115 feet wide by 480 feet long from the crater.

Remnants of the multi-function display (MFD), primary fight display (PFD), and the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) were retained by NTSB for data recovery.

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