- Date
- July 4, 1999, 12:08 local (16:08 UTC)
- Place
- Harbor Springs, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N201HGMooney M20J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990704017579A
- Case key
- 46761
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and his failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Factors associated with the accident were the gusty winds, wind shear, and the trees.
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 airplane contacted the top of a tree while on final approach. The pilot was able to continue the approach and land the airplane in the grass alongside the runway. The pilot reported the airplane encountered wind shear approximately 1,000 feet from the end of the runway. He reported winds issued over the Unicom were from 270 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. Reported winds 12 miles northeast of the airport were from 240 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 1999, at 1208 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N201HG, collided with trees and the terrain while on final approach to land on runway 28 at the Harbor Springs Airport, Harbor Springs, Michigan. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Wheeling, Illinois, at 0908 central daylight time.
The pilot reported that he was informed by the Harbor Springs Unicom that the winds were from 270 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. He stated he flew the traffic pattern to land on runway 28. The pilot reported that the airplane was "buffeted" by winds while on final approach at an airspeed of 74 knots with full flaps extended. He continued to report, "At about 1,000 feet from the end of the runway we were hit by a wind shear (like a wall). The aircraft immediately dropped and moved to the left. I applied power and brought the nose up a little when all of a sudden we hit something (later saw it to be the top of a pine tree)." This resulted in the airplane traveling to the left of the extended centerline. He reported he reduced power and landed straight ahead in the grass off the left side of the runway. A short time later the pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp area.
Winds reported at Pellston, Michigan (12 miles northeast of Harbor Springs) at 1152 edt, were from 240 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N201HG
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0232
- Airframe hours
- 3,508
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Arthur B. Mulligan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 1999 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- PWK · Wheeling, IL
- Destination
- D87
- Airport
- D87 · Harbor Springs, runway 28, 4,157 × 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
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,029 total · 225 in this make and model · 3,024 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PLN, 12 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.