- Date
- April 5, 2000, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8159EMooney M20A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000405009069A
- Case key
- 49032
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 delayed go-around and his failure to maintain the aircraft's clearance with 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
According to the pilot, he flew the final approach to the runway at 70 knots. He stated that he 'bounced [the airplane] trying to land.' The pilot initiated a go-around and applied full throttle, but the engine did not respond immediately. He stated that when the engine did respond, he was near the end of the runway. As the airplane started to climb he initiated a left turn to avoid high tension wires, during which the airplane's left wing contacted trees. Subsequently, the airplane stalled, impacted the ground, and came to a stop upright. A witness reported that the pilot initiated the go-around when the airplane was about 3/4 of the way down the runway.
Factual narrative
On April 5, 2000, at 1730 central daylight time, a Mooney M20A airplane, N8159E, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during a go-around near the Westheimer Air Park, Houston, Texas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner and operator of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the Westheimer Air Park, approximately 1700.
According to the pilot, he was flying a left traffic pattern for runway 29. He stated that the airplane was at 70 knots during the final approach and he "bounced [the airplane] trying to land." The pilot initiated a go-around and applied full throttle, but the engine did not respond immediately. He stated that when the engine did respond he was near the end of the runway. As the airplane started to climb he initiated a left turn to avoid high tension wires; however, the airplane's left wing contacted trees. Subsequently, the airplane "stalled," impacted the ground, and came to rest upright within tall grass and brush.
According to a witness, the airplane initially touched down at the runway's mid-point and then "floated back up." The airplane then touched down a second time about 3/4 of the way down the runway. The witness stated that the pilot initiated a go-around after the second touchdown. He confirmed that the airplane's engine response was delayed.
The FAA inspector reported that 5 feet of the left wing, inboard from the wing-tip, separated from the airplane and remained attached only by control cables. He added that the empennage was "twisted" 90 degrees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8159E
- Reported as
- Mooney M20A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1431
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Abraham Ferris Eleckel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 5TA4 · Houston, TX
- Airport
- 5TA4 · Westheimer Air Park, runway 29, 2,500 × 28 ft, concrete
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
- 73
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 980 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HOU, 25 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.