- Date
- August 11, 1995, 14:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rock Springs, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8378EMooney M20A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950811023249A
- Case key
- 42219
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 control of the aircraft. Factors include the uneven runway condition, the information regarding the crowned condition not being disseminated by airport personnel, and the inadequate review/inspection of the condition by FAA airport personnel.
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
Intersecting runways 09-27 and 03-21 were closed due to construction, and a parallel taxiway for runway 09-27 had been approved for use as a temporary runway. During takeoff on the temporary runway, the aircraft became prematurely airborne when it crossed the crowned intersecting taxiway. During the pilot's attempt to maintain control of the aircraft, the aircraft collided with an airport information sign and skidded to rest. No information was made available to pilots by the airport regarding the crowned condition of the taxiway, and no FAA airports personnel inspected the temporary runway noting the crowned condition.
Factual narrative
On August 11, 1995, at 1445 hours mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20A, N8378E, was substantially damaged during a loss of control on takeoff following an encounter with uneven terrain at the Rock Springs Municipal Airport, Rock Springs, Wyoming. The private pilot and passenger were uninjured. The business flight was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and was destined for Gillette, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
Intersecting runways 09/27 and 03/21 were closed (NOTAM issued) at Rock Springs due to construction and the airport had received authorization to conduct takeoff/landing operations from the parallel taxiway for runway 09/27. The authorization was provided by the FAA's project manager for the Rock Springs airport, an engineer attached to the FAA's Denver Airports District Office.
The pilot reported that he commenced his takeoff roll from taxiway A-2 (refer to attached diagram) and that, upon passing into the crossing intersection of taxiway A-3 the aircraft encountered a "crown" in the temporary runway surface at 65 to 70 knots airspeed.
The airplane was launched into the air without enough speed to remain airborne. The pilot stated that the airplane hit the ground and bounced back up into the air, off the north side of the temporary runway. During the second ground impact the aircraft struck an informational sign and then skidded to rest between the temporary and permanent runways 09/27.
No information was made available to pilots by the airport regarding the crowned condition of taxiway A-3 during takeoffs/ landings. No FAA airports personnel inspected the temporary runway where it crosses taxiway A-3 noting the crowned condition.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8378E
- Reported as
- Mooney M20A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1556
- Airframe hours
- 2,416
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Slider, Michael, A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 7, 1995 · 112 hours before
- Departed
- RKS
- Destination
- GCC · Gillette, WY
- Airport
- RKS · Sweetwater County
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 308 total · 232 in this make and model · 259 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RKS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.