20020902024609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20 · Sierraville, CA · September 2, 2002

Date: September 2, 2002 · 15:15 local
Place: Sierraville, CA
Airport: Sierraville Dearwater Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N881B
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX02LA271
Reported as: Mooney M20

N881BRegistration cancelled Jun 29, 2005 · Mooney M20S/N 1044 · Built 1957 Airframe modelMooney M20 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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) Aircraft crashed on take off during high density altitude and cross wind conditions. (.19) on September 2, 2002, about 1500 pacific daylight time, a Mooney M-20, N881B, veered off the runway during takeoff from Dearwater airport, Sierraville, California. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight was en route to cloverdale, California. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that the winds were 10 knots from his 2 o'clock position with gusts to 15 knots. The airport elevation was 5,000 feet and the temperature was 80 degrees fahrenheit. He said that just as he was lifting off the ground, the wind blew him off the side of the runway. As he adjusted the airplane's attitude, it collided with the ground.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKE OFF DURING HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND CROSS WIND CONDITIONS. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2002, ABOUT 1500 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M-20, N881B, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF FROM DEARWATER AIRPORT, SIERRAVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS EN ROUTE TO CLOVERDALE, CALIFORNIA. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE 10 KNOTS FROM HIS 2 O'CLOCK POSITION WITH GUSTS TO 15 KNOTS. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 5,000 FEET AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. HE SAID THAT JUST AS HE WAS LIFTING OFF THE GROUND, THE WIND BLEW HIM OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AS HE ADJUSTED THE AIRPLANE'S ATTITUDE, IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

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 LAX02LA271Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSierraville, CAthe pilot's decision to attempt takeoff in crosswind conditions that likely exceeded the capability of the airplane, and, his subsequent failure to maintain the airplane's proper alignment over the runway. Also causal was the pilot's premature liftoff and…Sep 2, 2002 · Substantial damage