Mooney M20J N3933H

Summary

On 21 October 2021 at about 20:31 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N3933H was involved in an accident near Holly Ridge, North Carolina, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 October 2021 at 20:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Holly Ridge, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Holly Ridge/Topsail Island (N21)

Coordinates

34.4921, -77.5365

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N3933H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22FA024

2 people died.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a stall/mush during takeoff and initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s loading the airplane near its maximum allowable gross weight and near its aft cg limit.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and three passengers were departing from a 3,591-ft-long grass runway when the accident occurred. Review of a video recorded by a witness on the ground revealed that, after becoming airborne, the airplane’s wings wobbled as it climbed, turned left, and descended into a wooded area about two-thirds down the runway. Onboard video recorded by a surviving passenger revealed that the engine continued to operate throughout the accident sequence and sounds consistent with a stall warning horn were heard before impact. The amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the accident was not determined. The airplane’s weight and balance at the time of the accident was estimated using the actual weights of the occupants and both full fuel tanks and half-full fuel tanks. With the fuel tanks filled to half capacity, the airplane was about 72 lbs under its maximum allowable gross weight and about 2 inches forward of the aft center of gravity limit. Sound spectrum analysis of the audio portions of each video revealed that the engine was operating at or near its maximum takeoff power setting of 2,700 rpm, and engine sound was smooth and continuous throughout. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. The wing flaps were found retracted; the pilot’s operating handbook for the airplane indicated that flaps should be extended to 15° for takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.