N211ZN

Substantial
None

MOONEY M20JS/N: 24-1535

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, May 28, 2017
NTSB Number
CEN17LA198
Location
LAKEWAY, TX
Event ID
20170530X85846
Coordinates
30.357500, -97.994445
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impaired vision due to his broken eyeglasses.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
MOONEY
Serial Number
24-1535
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1985
Model / ICAO
M20JM20P
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
M20J

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
ALLEN MICHAEL J
Address
3161 PINCHEM CREEK DR
City
RESCUE
State / Zip Code
CA 95672-9600
Country
United States

Analysis

On May 28, 2017, about 1200 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J airplane, N211ZN, impacted ground objects during a runway excursion on runway 34 at the Lakeway Airpark (3R9), near Lakeway, Texas. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage. The airplane was registered to Yarbrough Southwest Corp. and was operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Tierra Linda Ranch Airport, near Kerrville, Texas, about 1139 and was destined for 3R9.According to the pilot, his glasses broke during the flight. The right lens screw fell out, which caused the lens to separate from the frame and fall out away from his reach. Aware of power lines at the south end of the field, the pilot elected to fly a higher glidepath than normal and proceed into the landing sequence higher than was normal due to his now restricted vision, so as to assure clearance of the power lines. The airplane landed long. The pilot subsequently recognized that the airplane was long of the desired touchdown point and elected not to go around due to concern of obstacles in the area. Due to the long landing, the airplane continued off the runway and its left wing impacted a stone mailbox.

The pilot's report indicated that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions.

The pilot's report indicated "unknown" for his medical certificate. Federal Aviation Administration records revealed that the pilot's last medical certificate was dated December 18, 2007.

The pilot's safety recommendation was "to purchase corrective lenses with frames that will not allow a lens to fall out" and to "bring an additional set of glasses when flying."

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN17LA198