Mooney M20J accident near Lakeway, Texas, May 28, 2017
On May 28, 2017 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1985 Mooney M20J, registered N211ZN, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lakeway, Texas (Lakeway Airpark 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impaired vision due to his broken eyeglasses.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2017 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeway, Texas · Lakeway Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J, built 1985 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N211ZN · registry record · serial 24-1535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that, during the flight, the right lens fell out of his eyeglasses. Aware of powerlines at the approach end of the runway, and with his vision impaired, he flew a higher than normal landing approach to ensure obstacle clearance. The airplane subsequently landed long, exited the end of the runway, and impacted a stone mailbox, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Sensory ability/limitation › Visual function › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,534 hours in all; 3,100 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,302 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-A4B (piston); 1,222 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 60TE Kerrville TX at 4:39 pm
- Destination: 3R9 Lakeway TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,930 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KRYW, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17LA198.