# NTSB MIA96LA133: Mooney M20C, N5635Q, Cullowhee, NC, April 28, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 28, 1996, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Cullowhee, NC
- Coordinates: 35.309329, -83.170715 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3093&lon=-83.1707&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 3, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38014
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA96LA133
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38014/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA133

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions.  The gusty/crosswind condition was a related factor.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor)
  - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot said he was on final approach for landing, when the airplane encountered gusty winds, and up/downdrafts. When the airplane was about 100 feet from the threshold, it collided with the terrain after encountering a downdraft.

## Factual narrative

On April 28, 1996, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N5635Q, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed on landing at the Jackson County Airport, Cullowhee, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The private pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from Vidalia, Georgia, about 1 hour 30 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he called UNICOM and was informed there was no other landing traffic, and the winds favored runway 14. He entered left traffic, completed the before landing check, lowered the flaps to 15 degrees, encountered some downdrafts, and increased power. He turned on base leg decreased airspeed to about 90 mph, lowered flaps to the full down position, turned on final approach, and encountered updrafts and downdrafts while descending to about 35 feet. The airplane was about 100 feet from the end of the runway, when it encountered gusty winds, downdrafts, and a subsequent collision with the ground.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5635Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5635Q-1997-01-15), registration cancelled 1997-01-15, S/N 3016 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Mooney M20C
- Registry model: [Mooney M20C](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (registry code 5870208) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3016
- Airframe hours: 4200
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A2B 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Gregory E. Olsen
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: VDI, VIDALIA, GA
- Destination: 24A
- Airport: 24A, Jackson County, runway 14, 1,900 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 600 total, 500 in this make and model, 600 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: AVL, 35 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 19960428008729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960428008729A), Apr 28, 1996: Mooney M20C, Sylva, NC, Destroyed. Aircraft encountered wind shear 25FT above the ground, landed short, turned sideways, caught fire on runway.

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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