- Date
- December 28, 1994, 15:17 local (21:17 UTC)
- Place
- Minneapolis, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3983HMooney M20K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941228043019A
- Case key
- 9813
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 misjudging of distance and airspeed during the approach to landing which resulted in an overrun. Factors associated with the accident were the separation of the exhaust pipe and the pilot's not understanding communications from the air traffic control tower.
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 stated that after takeoff at an altitude of 200 feet AGL, the engine began running rough and lost power. He declared an emergency and was initially cleared to land on runway 23R followed by a clearance to land on any runway. He stated he did not initially understand that he was cleared for any runway so he set up to land on runway 23R. He stated he was too close to the runway but he continued the landing. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway and came to a stop after contacting an airport perimeter fence. A post accident test run of the engine revealed it produced power to 2700 RPM. The only anomaly found was a separation of the #6 cylinder exhaust pipe near its engine mounting flange.
Factual narrative
On December 28, 1994, about 1517 central standard time, a Mooney M20K, N3983H, sustained substantial damage in a precautionary landing at the Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, when it departed the end of runway 23R, and struck the airport perimeter fence. Neither the commercial pilot, nor the single passenger aboard the airplane were injured. The flight had just departed the Crystal Airport with an intended destination of Rockford, Illinois. An IFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot stated that at an altitude of approximately 200 feet agl, after takeoff, the engine started running rough and an "significant loss of power" occurred. The pilot declared and emergency and was cleared to land on runway 23R. The pilot was later cleared to land on any runway. The pilot stated he, "Did not fully realize all runway[s] were available." He set up for a landing on runway 23R. He stated he was not set up properly, being too close, but decided to land anyway. The airplane touched down long on the runway, traveled off the end and contacted an airport perimeter fence.
A post accident engine test run was conducted. The engine ran up to 2700 rpm without interruption. The only anomaly noted on the was that the #6 cylinder exhaust pipe had separated near the mounting flange.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3983H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-0387
- Airframe hours
- 1,741
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-MB, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Werner J. Lindgren
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 3, 1995 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- MIC
- Destination
- RFD · Rockford, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIC · Crystal, runway 23R, 3,264 × 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
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,479 total · 403 in this make and model · 2,400 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIC
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 N3983H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.