# NTSB CEN23LA238: Mooney M10, N9523V, Gassville, AR, June 12, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 11, 2023, 19:54 local (Jun 12, 2023, 00:54 UTC) - Place: Gassville, AR - Coordinates: 36.269413, -92.486958 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2694&lon=-92.4870&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 192359 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA238 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192359/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192359 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA238 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff with a quartering tailwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5872018), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=5872018), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=5872018), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he and the passenger departed his home airport and flew with another airplane to a private grass strip about 5 nm to the east. They both landed and were on the ground for about an hour. They noticed a storm building in the area and prepared to leave. The north-south runway sloped up to the north and featured tall trees on the north departure end. The pilot stated that he “opted to takeoff from the north to the south even though there was a building northwest wind.” Upon rotation, he heard the airplane’s stall warning horn, so he lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane was “very mushy, and was not gaining altitude.” The pilot struggled to maintain control as the wind pushed the airplane to the east. The airplane collided with a fence and telephone pole, then continued across a road and impacted several trees before coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the empennage, and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that the other airplane departed to the south without incident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9523V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9523V), registered now, S/N 700013, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M10 - Registry model: [Mooney M10](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m10) (registry code 5872018) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 700013 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 1912 - Engines: Continental Motors C90-16F 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Harrison Doug A - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 8, 2023 - Destination: FLP, Flippin, AR - Airport: pvt, Roller Field, runway 18, 2,500 × 75 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 4, 2023; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 343 total, 55 in this make and model, 320 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,300 ft overcast - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: KFLP, 5 nm away - METAR: KFLP 120056Z AUTO 36006KT 10SM OVC013 22/20 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP093 T02170200 ## 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 20230611007669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230611007669A), Jun 11, 2023: Mooney M10, Gassville, AR, Substantial damage. Approximatley 1900 hours on 11 June 2023, a 1969 money M10, regristration number[privacy data omitted] s/n 700013 was attempting a downwind take off. During… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192359. 13.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 9.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15728414&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20final_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15696804&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.