- Date
- July 25, 1999, 19:45 local (Jul 26, 1999, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hayward, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N74523Mooney M20B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990725010639A
- Case key
- 46910
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 failure to maintain clearance with the surface of the lake. Factors associated with the accident were the low level flight, dusk light conditions, and the glassy water.
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 flew a low approach over the lake, and at the end of the approach, he initiated a climbing left turn. He reported that as he rolled to the left, the left wing contacted the surface of the lake. The pilot reported that glassy water and the dusk light condition contributed to the event. The pilot continued the flight and returned to his departure airport without further incident.
Factual narrative
On July 25, 1999, at 1945 central daylight time, a Mooney M20B, N74523, was substantially damaged when the left wing contacted the waters of Lost Land Lake, Hayward, Wisconsin. The pilot was maneuvering the airplane at a low altitude when the accident occurred. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 flight. The pilot was able to fly the airplane back to the Hayward Municipal Airport, Hayward, Wisconsin, where an uneventful landing was made. The flight departed the Hayward, Municipal Airport at 1930 cdt, with an intended destination of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The pilot reported he flew a low approach over the lake and at the end of the approach he initiated a climbing left turn. He reported that as he rolled to the left, the left wing contacted the surface of the lake.
The pilot reported glassy water and dusk light condition contributed to making "...poor visual referenced reducing...[his]... depth perception."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74523
- Reported as
- Mooney M20B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1824
- Airframe hours
- 4,563
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Todd M. Hansen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1999 · 135 hours before
- Departed
- HYR
- Destination
- ENW · Kenosha, WI
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 44
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 200° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.