Summary
On September 15, 2011, a Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K (N231K) was involved in an incident near Anderson, SC. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted go-around.
The pilot stated he landed the airplane on runway 5 and about half way down the runway the wind shifted to a strong tailwind and the tail raised up. The airplane veered to the left. He applied full power in order to prevent the airplane from turning, the airplane became airborne, but the pilot realized that there was not enough "airspeed" or runway remaining to perform the go around. Therefore, the pilot reduced the power, the left wing struck the ground, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the left side of the runway. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and left wing during the accident sequence. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA494. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N231K.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted go-around.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated he landed the airplane on runway 5 and about half way down the runway the wind shifted to a strong tailwind and the tail raised up. The airplane veered to the left. He applied full power in order to prevent the airplane from turning, the airplane became airborne, but the pilot realized that there was not enough "airspeed" or runway remaining to perform the go around. Therefore, the pilot reduced the power, the left wing struck the ground, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the left side of the runway. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and left wing during the accident sequence. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from 280 degrees at 7 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA494