Mooney M20J accident near Scott City, Kansas, December 11, 1994
On December 11, 1994 at about 10:51 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4023H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scott City, Kansas (Scott City Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain compensation for wind conditions. A factor was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1994 · about 10:51 pm local time
- Place
- Scott City, Kansas · Scott City Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4023H · no longer on the register · serial 24-1018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND SOUGHT HELP IN FINDING A LANDING SITE BEFORE THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED FUEL EXHAUSTION. AFTER BEING GUIDED TO AN AIRPORT THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. HE STATED THAT WHILE LANDING THE WIND WAS 230 DEGREES AT 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT FOR THE CROSSWIND ON LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO A CORN FIELD.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 950 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,010 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1994; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I14 Indianapolis IN at 5:05 pm
- Destination: LBL Liberal KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 72 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 22 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from GCK, 35 miles away
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.