Mooney M20R N6868

Summary

On 16 April 2018 at about 19:10 local time, a Mooney M20R registered N6868 was involved in an accident near San Antonio, Texas, United States. 2 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

16 April 2018 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Twin-Oaks (T94)

Coordinates

29.5703, -98.4683

Aircraft

Mooney M20R

Registration

N6868

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lufkin → San Antonio

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA224

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s landing long in tailwind conditions with insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the airplane encountered a tailwind gust during landing. He reported that he frequented the airport and that it was common practice to land with a tailwind because of the preferred up-sloping runway. He asserted that he underestimated the significance of the wind conditions and that, when the airplane touched down, it was too late to abort the landing. The ground speed was too fast, and the airplane exited the departure end of the runway and collided with an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The METAR at the nearest airport, 2 nautical miles from the accident site, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 160° at 17 knots, gusting to 24 knots. The pilot landed on runway 30. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.