- Date
- August 31, 1991, 08:40 local (13:40 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9514RMooney M20K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910831037609A
- Case key
- 15177
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 exceeding the airplane's licensed gross weight and the pilot's improper preflight planning and preparation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot attempted to takeoff with the airplane at least 190 pounds over the airplane's gross licensed weight in gusty crosswinds. He estimates he reached an altitude of 100-200 feet but was unable to make the airplane climb any higher. He said he was unable to maintain altitude and elected to land in a soybean field. An inspection of the engine and airframe disclosed no preimpact mechanical defects.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9514R
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-0484
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-GRI, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gillespie, Richard W.
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1991 · 30 hours before
- Destination
- NEW · New Orleans, LA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- C52 · Burlington, runway 29, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,250 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 1,220 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 19 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKE, 22 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9514R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.