Mooney M20F N3535X

Summary

On 19 April 2018 at about 21:55 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N3535X, operated by Zulu Aviation Corp., was involved in an accident near Bulberde, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 April 2018 at 21:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Bulberde, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Bulverde Airpark (1T8)

Coordinates

29.7392, -98.4511

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N3535X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Zulu Aviation Corp.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Worth → Bulberde

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA233

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s unstabilized approach, which resulted in the airplane landing long and fast, and the pilot’s subsequent decision to steer the airplane off the side of the runway to avoid a runway overrun.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot who occupied the right front seat, during the flight, the engine started to run roughly. He added that, during landing, the airplane was fast and high, and it touched down about 1,200 ft past the approach end of the 2,890-ft-long runway. A pilot-rated passenger occupied the left front seat, which was the only position configured with brakes. The pilot-rated passenger applied the brakes during the landing roll, and the pilot maneuvered the airplane to exit the left side of the runway to avoid a runway overrun and impact with a fence. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane subsequently skidded to a stop in the grass safety area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft section of the fuselage. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, a flight instructor, who was seated in the rear of the airplane during the flight, reported that the airplane touched down about 100 knots with between 40 and 60 percent of the runway remaining. According to the manufacturer's airplane operator manual, the minimum runway landing roll distance at sea level is 785 ft when the ground speed is 70 knots. The METAR at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 07° at 12 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airport field elevation was 789 ft, and the pilot landed the airplane on runway 34.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.