On June 29, 1995, a Mooney M20E (registration N9273M) was involved in an aviation accident near Ronan, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A ROUGH/UNEVEN AIRSTRIP AND TALL VEGETATION. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff on a rough airstrip, the airplane bounced and turned sideways as the left wing tip caught in tall grass. The pilot aborted the takeoff to avoid trees.
What happened
The incident occurred during the takeoff ground roll on an airstrip characterized by rough and uneven terrain. As the aircraft accelerated for departure, it experienced a significant bounce upon contact with the irregular surface. This impact caused the airplane to become airborne momentarily and turn sideways relative to its original path of travel.
During this unstable phase, the left wing tip struck tall grass located adjacent to the runway edge. Recognizing the loss of directional control and the proximity of potential obstacles, the pilot made the decision to abort the takeoff. Power was reduced immediately in an effort to prevent a collision with nearby trees.
Despite these efforts, the aircraft continued its trajectory off the paved surface and collided with a ditch. The impact caused the airplane to spin approximately 90 degrees from its original direction of travel before coming to rest.