ERA12CA476

NTSB accident investigation · Mooney M20TN · Hilton Head, SC · July 24, 2012

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 24, 2012, 11:10 local (15:10 UTC)
Place
Hilton Head, SC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N212DMooney M20TN
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 5, 2012
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20120724015359A
Case key
84433

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedMooney M20TN: 2 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotMooney M20TN: 5 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationMooney M20TN: 2 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot stated that during the landing roll on runway 21, the airplane encountered a strong crosswind and veered sharply to the left. He attempted to correct the movement with aileron and rudder inputs and by retracting the flaps. The airplane continued left, departed the left side of the runway, and the left wing struck a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The recorded wind was from 250 degrees at 6 knots about the time of the accident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot report any.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that during the landing roll on runway 21, the airplane encountered a strong crosswind and veered sharply to the left. He attempted to correct the movement with aileron and rudder inputs, in addition to retracting the flaps. The airplane continued left, departed the left side of the runway, and the left wing was struck a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The recorded wind was from 250 degrees at 6 knots about the time of the accident. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot report any.

Aircraft

Registration
N212D
Reported as
Mooney M20TN
Category
Airplane
Serial number
31-0126
Airframe hours
325
Engine
Cont Motor TSIO-550-G, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · July 18, 2012 · 7 hours before
Departed
FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Destination
HXD · Hilton Head, SC
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
HXD · Hilton Head Airport, runway 21, 4,300 × 100 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
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 23, 2012
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,200 total · 250 in this make and model · 39 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
KHXD

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.