# NTSB MIA98LA207: Mooney M-20J, N91381, Alexander City, AL, July 25, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 25, 1998, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Alexander City, AL - Coordinates: 32.91925, -85.929397 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9192&lon=-85.9294&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 28, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43203 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43203/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA207 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing rollout and attempted go-around, resulting in departure from the runway and collision with adjacent brush and trees. ## Analysis The airplane commenced a right skid immediately upon touchdown that caused departure from the runway off the right edge. A go-around was attempted, but before the airplane became airborne, the right wing collided with peripheral brush and trees causing right wing spar damage. Winds were reported as variable at 3 knots. Subsequent examination of the airplane's braking and steering systems revealed no mechanical discrepancies. ## Factual narrative On July 25, 1998, about 1530 central daylight time, a Mooney M-20J, N91381, registered to a private individual, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed into brush and trees adjacent to runway 18 at Thomas C. Russell Field, Alexander City, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the student pilot was not injured. The flight originated about 38 minutes before the accident. The student pilot stated his landing looked normal until the actual touchdown, when the airplane, "pulled violently to the right." The ensuing skid caused the airplane to leave the runway, off the right edge into the grass, and the pilot's attempt to initiate a go-around resulted in a collision with peripheral brush and small trees. The airplane came to rest about 170 degrees off runway heading, in the brush, with substantial skin damage, and right wing spar damage. Winds reported by the nearest weather reporting facility, Montgomery AFSS, reported the winds at the time of the occurrence as variable at 3 knots. Subsequent examination of the airplane's braking and steering systems by an A&P mechanic revealed no mechanical discrepancies. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, go-around (vfr) - object - tree(s) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N91381](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N91381-2013-08-08), registration cancelled 2013-08-08, S/N 24-3237, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M-20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-3237 - Airframe hours: 398 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Roman M. Smyk - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 1998, 52 hours before - Departed: MGM, MONTGOMERY, AL - Destination: GAD, GADSDEN, AL - Airport: ALX, Thomas C. Russell Field, runway 18, 5,417 × 96 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 47 total, 23 in this make and model, 11 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MGM, 50 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 19980725017749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980725017749A), Jul 25, 1998: Mooney M20J, Alexander City, AL, Substantial damage. Acft veered to the right on landing and could not correct rudder, pilot applied full power to takeoff, acft exited rwy to right. Acft sustained substantial… ## Other investigations on N91381 (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI04FA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04FA198), Jul 28, 2004: Mooney M20J (N91381), Fox Lake, IL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The flight crew's failure to maintain airspeed which led to an inadvertent stall/spin. An additional cause was the flight instructor's unsuccessful remedial action during the course of the accident… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.