Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20S accident near Washington Island, Wisconsin, July 3, 2011
On July 3, 2011 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20S, registered N2234X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Washington Island, Wisconsin (Washington Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing and his delayed remedial action to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2011 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Washington Island, Wisconsin · Washington Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20S
- Registration
- N2234X · no longer on the register · serial 30-0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the airplane using a short field technique which he had recently practiced with his flight instructor. During the landing roll, the airplane's wheels rolled through some potholes causing the airplane to become airborne again. The pilot attempted to abort the landing by applying full throttle and retracting the flaps to the takeoff position. However, with full throttle and full aft elevator, the airplane would not climb and settled back down onto the ground. The airplane veered to the left and impacted a ditch, which tore off the landing gear, and substantially damaged the empennage and horizontal stabilizer. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. The pilot reported he was late in initiating the aborted landing procedure.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,190 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,190 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,818 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C16 Urbana IL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 2P2 Washington Island WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,230 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.