# Accident 19980917039199A: Mooney M20C, Reno, NV, September 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 17, 1998, 14:00 local time - Place: Reno, NV - Airport: Reno/Tahoe International Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.5195° N, 119.8095° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5195&lon=-119.8095&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9438V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9438V) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Mooney M20C (registry code 5870208, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C - Reported engine: LYC O360A1D - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 418 total, 123 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA314) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980917039199A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1998, ABOUT 1400 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M20C, N9438V, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL WING AND FUSELAGE DAMAGE WHILE LANDING IN CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AT THE RENO-TAHO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, RENO, NEVADA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND INCLUDED WINDS AT 18 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 26 KNOTS. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT ABOUT 1100 ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF RENO. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT TO EITHER THE SAFETY BOARD OR THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA). AN FBO ON THE RENO AIRPORT REPORTED TO THE RENO FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN THE ACCIDENT AND HAD BEEN FLOWN TO FULLERTON FOR REPAIR. THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE WAS EXAMINED BY FAA INSPECTORS FROM THE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE AT A REPAIR FACILITY ON THE FULLERTON AIRPORT. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF A DEFORMED AND BENT LEFT WING, WITH SPAR WRINKLES AND TEARS, AND DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE RUDDER. FAA INSPECTORS INTERVIEWED THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WHO OCCUPIED THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. HE SAID THAT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH IN THE PREVAILING CROSSWIND CONDITION. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY ASKED THE PASSENGER FOR HELP AND BY THE TIME HE WAS ABLE TO GET ON THE CONTROLS, THE LEFT WING HAD CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE PASSENGER FURTHER REPORTED TO FAA INSPECTORS THAT FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, A LOANER PROPELLER WAS OBTAINED AND SOME SHEET METAL STRAPS WERE INSTALLED ON THE DAMAGED WING. THE PASSENGER AND A MECHANIC FROM FULLERTON THEN FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO FULLERTON. A FERRY PERMIT WAS NOT OBTAINED. (.4) THE PILOT AND PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WHO OCCUPIED THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT SAID THAT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH IN THE PREVAILING CROSSWIND CONDITION. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY ASKED THE PASSENGER FOR HELP AND BY THE TIME HE WAS ABLE TO GET ON THE CONTROLS, THE LEFT WING HAD CONTACTED THE GROUND. (-23) ON 09/17/98, ABOUT 1400 HRS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M20C, N9438V, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL WING AND FUSELAGE DAMAGE WHILE LANDING IN CROSSW IND CONDITIONS AT THE RENO TAHOE INTL AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND INCLUDED WINDS AT 18 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 26 KNOTS. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT ABOUT 1100 ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ACCIDENT INITIALLY. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX98LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA314), Sep 17, 1998: Mooney M20C (N9438V), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition, which resulted in a hard landing. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.