- Date
- August 17, 2012, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gresham, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5642QMooney M20E
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120817018049A
- Case key
- 84915
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control and clearance from field corn during takeoff.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During takeoff from a 1,600-foot by 50-foot private grass airstrip, the airplane's right wing contacted tall field corn. The airplane entered the corn, yawed to the right, cartwheeled, and came to rest 180 degrees from the takeoff direction. The pilot reported no preimpact anomalies with the airplane. Both wings were bent and buckled.
Factual narrative
During takeoff from a 1,600 feet long by 50 feet wide private grass airstrip, the airplane's right wing contacted tall field corn. The airplane entered the corn, yawed to the right, cartwheeled, and came to rest 180 degrees from the takeoff direction. The pilot reported no preimpact anomalies with the airplane. Both wings were bent and buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5642Q
- Reported as
- Mooney M20E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 677
- Airframe hours
- 4,500
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- On File
- Registered owner
- On File
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2011
- Departed
- PVT · Gresham, WI
- Destination
- CLI · Clintonville, WI
- Airport
- PVT · Private
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 28,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 13,500 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.