20020807022969A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20M · Gualala, CA · August 7, 2002

Date: August 7, 2002 · 19:45 local
Place: Gualala, CA
Airport: Ocean Ridge Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1038K
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX02LA248
Reported as: Mooney M20M

N1038KRegistration cancelled Jan 2, 2003 · Mooney M20MS/N 27-0060 · Built 1990 Airframe modelMooney M20M Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot stated that he knew before the flight that the runway was short and difficult because of winds and trees. After a couple of passes to look at the runway, pilot stated that the sun would not give him clear view of the runway following right traffic pattern. Pilot stated that he followed left traffic pattern, cleared the trees but the air speed was too low, followed by nose high attitude which hid the runway. At this point, pilot stated that he decided to add full power to go around. When the nose came down, he saw he was too close to the ground, and to the left of the runway. When he realized he was not going to be able to go around, he cut the power and the left wing first hit the ground and then tree stumps.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE KNEW BEFORE THE FLIGHT THAT THE RUNWAY WAS SHORT AND DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF WINDS AND TREES. AFTER A COUPLE OF PASSES TO LOOK AT THE RUNWAY, PILOT STATED THAT THE SUN WOULD NOT GIVE HIM CLEAR VIEW OF THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN. PILOT STATED THAT HE FOLLOWED LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN, CLEARED THE TREES BUT THE AIR SPEED WAS TOO LOW, FOLLOWED BY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHICH HID THE RUNWAY. AT THIS POINT, PILOT STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO ADD FULL POWER TO GO AROUND. WHEN THE NOSE CAME DOWN, HE SAW HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND, AND TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND, HE CUT THE POWER AND THE LEFT WING FIRST HIT THE GROUND AND THEN TREE STUMPS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX02LA248Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGualala, CAThe pilot's delayed decision in executing a go-around. Contributing factors were the pilot's limited experience landing on short fields and the rising terrain.Aug 8, 2002 · Destroyed