- Date
- April 5, 2006, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Destin, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4654MMooney M20R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham, Alabama
- FAA report
- 20060405003859A
- Case key
- 63459
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 airspeed while attempting a go-around at a low altitude which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush, an uncontrolled descent and an impact with terrain.
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 stated that he made a smooth touchdown on the runway centerline, and after a "couple hundred feet", a strong gust of wind blew him to the left toward the runway edge lights. He said he made the decision to go around, applied full throttle, and "pulled up sharply" to avoid hitting the runway lights. He further stated that the stall warning then activated, so he lowered the nose of the airplane but "apparently did not have sufficient airspeed to maintain altitude. He said he tried to turn back to the runway, but felt a sudden "spin" to the left about 30 degrees, as the airplane impacted the ground. Prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
Factual narrative
On April 5, 2006, about 1830 central daylight time, a Mooney M20R airplane, N4654M, registered to and operated by the a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight, crashed while attempting a go-around following touchdown at Destin, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The private-rated pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the same day, about 1730.
The pilot stated that about 5 miles from Destin, Florida, he cancelled his IFR flight plan in preparation for the visual approach to runway 14. He said that the winds were from 280 degrees, at a velocity of 10 knots, gusting to 14. At an altitude of 200 feet he said he encountered some turbulence, but made a smooth touchdown on the runway centerline, and after a "couple hundred feet", a strong gust of wind blew him to the left toward the runway edge lights. He said he made the decision to go around, applied full throttle, and "pulled up sharply" to avoid hitting the runway lights. He further stated that the stall warning then activated, so he lowered the nose of the airplane but "apparently did not have sufficient airspeed to maintain altitude. He said he tried to turn back to the runway, but felt a sudden "spin" to the left about 30 degrees, as the airplane impacted the ground. Prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4654M
- Reported as
- Mooney M20R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29-0370
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental O-550-G7B, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- McMahan Aviation LLC.,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2005
- Departed
- HBG · Hattiesburg, MS
- Destination
- DTS · Destin, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DTS · Destin-Ft. Walton Beach, runway 14, 4,999 × 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 270 in this make and model · 540 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- DTS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.