No fatalities

Runway Departure Incident Involving Fence Impact

Plano, TX, United States

On May 1, 2016, a MOONEY M20 F operated by James M. McCrum was involved in an aviation accident near Plano, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the aborted landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with a fence. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted a landing due to gusty winds, causing the aircraft to drift left and strike a fence. The plane sustained substantial wing damage, but no pre-impact mechanical failures were reported.

Incident Overview

During a landing attempt, the pilot decided to abort the procedure in response to adverse weather conditions. Specifically, the decision was driven by gusty wind environments that made continued approach unsafe. Following the go-around initiation, the aircraft deviated from its intended path.

Sequence of Events

As the airplane maneuvered away from the runway centerline, it drifted to the left side of the active strip. This lateral movement resulted in a collision with a fence located adjacent to the airfield boundary. The impact occurred after the pilot had already committed to the aborted landing sequence.

Damage Assessment and Mechanical Status

Post-incident inspections revealed that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings as a direct result of the fence impact. Regarding the operational status of the machinery, the pilot provided a statement indicating that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions affecting either the airframe or the engine. Consequently, the pilot confirmed that these systems would have allowed for normal operation had the incident not occurred.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Ability to respond/compensate