# NTSB FTW92LA058: Mooney M20J, N201YR, Austin, TX, January 22, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 21, 1992, 20:05 local (Jan 22, 1992, 02:05 UTC)
- Place: Austin, TX
- Location: 30.2672° N, 97.7431° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Austin, TX, within about 10 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2672&lon=-97.7431&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 18435
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW92LA058
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18435/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW92LA058

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT DESCENDING BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE AND NOT PERFORMING THE BRIEFED MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE ALONG WITH THE DARK NIGHT, FOG, DRIZZLE, AND LOW CEILING.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, landing - aborted
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - drizzle/mist (contributing factor)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - minimum descent altitude - exceeded, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with object, maneuvering
  - object - fence post
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PILOT EXECUTED A VOR/DME INSTRUMENT APPROACH AND DESCENDED BELOW THE PUBLISHED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE OF 579 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT ABORTED THE LANDING. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DEPART AND MANEUVER AT LOW LEVEL AROUND THE AIRPORT BEFORE HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE FLEW UNDER A SET OF POWER LINES AND IMPACTED FENCE POSTS AND THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE'S PITOT STATIC SYSTEM HEAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE WITH THE FENCE POSTS. THE PILOT STATED A MALFUNCTION OF THE VSI AND ALTIMETER OCCURRED DURING THE INSRUMENT APPROACH. NO SYSTEM FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE NTSB BY THE FAA COORDINATOR. TESTING OF THE PITOT STATIC SYSTEM DID NOT REVEAL ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY AROUND THE AIRPORT AT LESS THAN 100 FEET IN VERY POOR VISIBILITY AND THAT THERE WERE NO INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS DURING THE APPROACH.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N201YR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201YR-1996-10-07), registration cancelled 1996-10-07, S/N 240734 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-0734
- Airframe hours: 4209
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Kissock, Darryl C.
- Registered owner: Kissock, Darryl C.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, April 26, 1991, 83 hours before
- Departed: PTN, PATTERSON, LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: 3R3, Austin Executive, runway 18, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 705 total, 305 in this make and model, 526 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 400 ft broken
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: AUS, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19920121000689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920121000689A), Jan 21, 1992: Mooney M20J, Austin, TX, Substantial damage. Bounced and porpoised on landing long. Began circling go around. Flew under wires then struck two fences.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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