Mooney M20F N7433V

Summary

On 19 October 1997 at about 07:16 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N7433V, operated by Texas A&M Flying Club Inc., was involved in an accident near College Station, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 October 1997 at 07:16

Classification

Accident

Location

College Station, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Easterwood Field (CLL)

Coordinates

30.5590, -96.2709

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N7433V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Texas A&M Flying Club Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oklahoma City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW98LA018

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around. Factors were :the pilot's premature retraction of the flaps, his lack of total experience in the airplane, the dark night illumination, pilot fatigue, and pressure induced by the passengers to complete the night flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The night cross country flight originated at Manhattan, Kansas, where the four college students aboard the airplane attended a Kansas State-Texas A&M football game. The flight had landed at Oklahoma City for fuel near midnight. The pilot reported that he had visual contact with the Easterbrook Field Airport when 15 miles north of the airport. After obtaining the weather, he initiated a descent for a straight-in approach to Runway 16. The pilot added 'while on short final he felt that his rate of descent was too steep' so he elected to execute a go-around when the airplane was approximately 40 feet above the runway. The pilot reported that 'the airplane stalled after he applied full power and retracted the landing gear and flaps.' In the enclosed statement, under the heading of 'Other General Observations,' the pilot stated that he was extremely fatigued due to the 20 hour day, the 8.5 hour flight-day and the chronic fatigue from being a college student. He also noted that he felt extreme pressure from the passengers to get back to Texas ('get-there-itis'). The pilot also stated that this was only his second night landing in the airplane and he considered himself 'to have low time' in the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.