# NTSB CEN22LA118: Mooney M20J, N201VZ, Katy, TX, February 12, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 11, 2022, 20:06 local (Feb 12, 2022, 02:06 UTC)
- Place: Katy, TX
- Coordinates: 29.824202, -95.67583 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8242&lon=-95.6758&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104631
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA118
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104631/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104631
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA118

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath while on the final approach segment of the traffic pattern in dark night conditions.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The airplane was approaching the destination airport in dark night conditions when it collided with trees, impacted terrain, and came to rest about 500 ft before the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Neither occupant could remember the events of the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, data recovered from multiple devices that contained non-volatile memory revealed no anomalies with recorded engine parameters and that all flight parameters were consistent with controlled flight.

## Factual narrative

On February 11, 2022, about 2006 central standard time, a Mooney M20J airplane, N201VZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Katy, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of archived Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane departed Castroville Municipal Airport (CVB), Castroville, Texas about 1827 destined for West Houston Airport (IWS), Katy, Texas. After overflying IWS at about 1,075 ft GPS altitude, the airplane turned left onto a downwind flight pattern leg for landing on runway 15. About 650 ft GPS altitude the airplane turned final and descended at which point the ADS-B data ended. The responding FAA inspector documented the accident site, which revealed that the airplane had collided with a tree, impacted terrain, and came to rest about 500 ft short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, neither the pilot nor the passenger could recall the events of the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, data recovered from multiple devices that contained non-volatile memory revealed no anomalies with recorded engine parameters and that all flight parameters were consistent with controlled flight. Historical sunrise and sunset times for the Houston, Texas area for the day of the accident listed the sunrise as 0704, the sunset as 1807 and the end of civil twilight as 1831.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N201VZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201VZ-2022-07-02), registration cancelled 2022-07-02, S/N 24-0243, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A3B6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a3b6) (registry code 41827, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-0243
- Year built: 1977
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Aviation Partners Sa LLC
- Registered owner: Aviation Partners Sa LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 4, 2022
- Departed: CVB, Castroville, TX
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: IWS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: serious; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 106° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Observed at: KSGR, 12 nm away
- METAR: KSGR 0153Z 10607kt 10sc CLR 17/11

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20220211006499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220211006499A), Feb 11, 2022: Mooney M20J, Houston, TX, Destroyed. On 02/11/2022, pilot departed from castroville, (cvb), TX for destination to West Houston Airport (iws), Texas. While on short final airplane was lined up with…

## Docket (12 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104631. 207 MB in all.

- Examination summary (item 1, PDF, 3 pages, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14667864&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary%20CEN22LA118%20N201VZ-Rel.pdf
- Adsb plot (item 2, KMZ, 257 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15651143&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=ADSB%20Plot-Rel.kmz
- Adsb data file (item 3, XLSX, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15650739&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=ADSB%20Data-Rel.xlsx
- Electronic devices - specialist's factual report (item 4, PDF, 17 pages, 4.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14559725&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN22LA118%20Electronic%20Devices%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf
- Attachment 1 to electronic devices - specialist's factual report (item 5, CSV, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560049&FileExtension=csv&FileName=CEN22LA118%20Attachment%201%20to%20Electronic%20Devices%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.csv
- Attachment 2 to electronic devices - specialist's factual report (item 6, CSV, 496 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560631&FileExtension=csv&FileName=CEN22LA118%20Attachment%202%20to%20Electronic%20Devices%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.csv
- Attachment 3 to electronic devices - specialist's factual report (item 7, CSV, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14561034&FileExtension=csv&FileName=CEN22LA118%20Attachment%203%20to%20Electronic%20Devices%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.csv
- Maintenance records (item 8, PDF, 6 pages, 192 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14667767&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Logbook%20Entries_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 9, PDF, 3 pages, 595 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14668227&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf
- Sunrise and sunset times (item 10, PDF, 3 pages, 221 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14668271&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Sunrise%20and%20sunset%20times%20in%20Houston-Rel.pdf
- NTSB form 6120 mfr (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14669019&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Memo-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 501 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14685708&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release%20-%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf

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.

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