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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

December 11, 1994 · Mooney M20J · N4023H

Scott City, KS

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 11, 1994
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Scott City, KS
Aircraft
Mooney M20J
Tail Number
N4023H
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CHI95LA057

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND SOUGHT HELP IN FINDING A LANDING SITE BEFORE THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED FUEL EXHAUSTION. AFTER BEING GUIDED TO AN AIRPORT THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. HE STATED THAT WHILE LANDING THE WIND WAS 230 DEGREES AT 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT FOR THE CROSSWIND ON LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO A CORN FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to attain compensation for wind conditions. A factor was the crosswind condition.

Full Narrative

On December 11, 1994, at 1651 central standard time, a Mooney M20J, N4023H, registered to Herb Porter of Speedway, Indiana, impacted the terrain during a landing on runway 17 (5,000 x 72' dry/asphalt) at Scott City Municipal airport, Scott City, Kansas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot received serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Indianapolis, Indiana, at 1105 central standard time, with the intended destination of Liberal, Kansas. The pilot said that he had intended to use LORAN navigation to reach his destination; however, the airplane encountered an area of unreliable LORAN signals. He became disoriented and requested help from the Federal Aviation Administration, Air Route Traffic Control Center, located in Denver, Colorado, in locating an airport before the airplane suffered fuel exhaustion. He was guided to Scott City, Kansas, by a military airplane. He stated that the wind on landing was 230 degrees at 30 knots with gusts to 40. He said that during the landing he was unable to correct for the crosswind. After touchdown on the runway, the airplane exited the runway and impacted the terrain in a corn field, adjacent to the airport. The nearest weather reporting station to the accident was Garden City, Kansas. They were reporting winds of 160 degrees at 22 knots with gusts to 29, at the time of the accident. This reporting station is located 35 nautical miles to the southeast of the accident site.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:51 MST
Nearest AirportScott City Municipal (0nm)
Runway17
Runway Length5000 ft
Runway Width72 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMooney M20J
Tail NumberN4023H
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-A3B6D · Reciprocating · 200
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 79 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind160° @ 22 kt, gusting 29 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 20000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point37 C / 21 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time22:50

Appendix: Source Data