# Accident 20000405009069A: Mooney M20A, Houston, TX, April 5, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 5, 2000, 17:30 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: Westheimer Air Park Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6104° N, 95.1207° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6104&lon=-95.1207&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8159E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8159E-2013-02-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20A (registry code 5870204, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20a) (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 M20A
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 980 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA122) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000405009069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FAST (AIRSPEED) ON APPROACH AND TOUCHED DOWN APPROX. 1500 FEET DOWN THE 2500 X 25 RUNWAY. EYE-WITNESSES STATED THE WINDS WERE APPROX. 90 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY (RWY 29) AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS. PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE REJECTED LANDING ATTEMPT HE "SHOVED THE THROTTLE FORWARD" AND THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, THEN BEGAN RUNNING SMOOTHLY.HE STATED THAT HE TURNED LEFT TO AVOID THE POWER LINES WHICH WERE APPROX. 1/2 NM FROM END OF RUNWAY AND THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK A TREE. THE AIRPLANE "CART-WHEELED" TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ABOUT 300 FT TO THE LEFT OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RWY 29. APPROX. 5 FT OF THE LEFT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND THE EMPENNAGE WAS TWISTED APPROX. 30 DEGREES. THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AIRWORTHINESS DISCREPANCIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE FLEW THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY AT 70 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT HE 'BOUNCED [THE AIRPLANE] TRYING TO LAND.'  THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.  HE STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE DID RESPOND, HE WAS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY.  AS THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO CLIMB HE INITIATED A LEFT TURN TO AVOID HIGH TENSION WIRES, DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING CONTACTED TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE STALLED, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND CAME TO A STOP UPRIGHT.  A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT INITIATED THE GO-AROUND WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY.

## 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 FTW00LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA122), Apr 5, 2000: Mooney M20A (N8159E), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's delayed go-around and his failure to maintain the aircraft's clearance with trees.

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.

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