Mooney M20E accident near San Antonio, Texas, November 11, 2008
On November 11, 2008 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N1264X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (San Geronimo Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to lower the gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to complete the before landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2008 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Geronimo Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N1264X · registry record · serial 137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning to land at the non-towered airport after aborting a cross country flight because of deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot said he was focused on the proper glide path during the final approach and that he forgot to lower the landing gear. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway with the landing gear still retracted. There were no injuries to the solo pilot on board, but substantial structural damage to the belly of the fuselage.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 17, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 2008; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8T8 San Antonio TX at 4:50 pm
- Destination: KCUH Cushing OK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:41 am from KSAT, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.