No fatalities

24 Jul 2012: MOONEY AIRPLANE CO INC M20TN — Hilton Head, SC

Hilton Head, SC, United States

On 24 Jul 2012, a MOONEY AIRPLANE CO INC M20TN was involved in an aviation accident near Hilton Head, SC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing roll on runway 21, a strong crosswind caused the airplane to veer left. Despite corrective inputs and flap retraction, it departed the runway, striking a taxiway sign and sustaining substantial wing damage.

Accident Details

According to the pilot, the accident occurred during the landing roll on runway 21. The airplane encountered a strong crosswind and veered sharply to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the movement with aileron and rudder inputs, in addition to retracting the flaps. Despite these efforts, the airplane continued left, departing the left side of the runway.

Damage and Inspection

The left wing struck a taxiway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the wing. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not report any mechanical issues.

Environmental Conditions

The recorded wind at the time of the accident was from 250 degrees at 6 knots.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation