Mooney M-20E accident near Thomasville, Georgia, June 30, 2004
On June 30, 2004 at about 1:15 am local time, a Mooney M-20E, registered N77ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomasville, Georgia (Thomasville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of the airspeed and distance during approach to land that resulted in an undershoot and the subsequent collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2004 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Thomasville, Georgia · Thomasville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20E · all M-20Es on the register
- Registration
- N77ET · registry record · serial 0573
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was conducting touch and go landings. During the second landing the pilot noticed he was high on the glide slope approach. The pilot extended the flaps and reduced power to increase the descent of the airplane. The airplane descended below the glide slope and landed approximately 150 yards from the approach end of runway 22. Examination of the airplane revealed both wing assemblies were buckled and curled upwards. The left main landing gear was collapsed, and the fuselage was buckled. No flight control or mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 825 hours in all; 739 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVI Thomasville GA
- Destination: TVI Thomasville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.