Mooney M20K accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota, November 21, 1997
On November 21, 1997, a Mooney M20K, registered N252A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Flying Cloud 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper decision to continue the approach beyond decision height, when he could not see the runway; and his attempt to land without being properly aligned on the runway. Factors relating to this accident were: darkness, fog and and runway lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1997
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252A · registry record · serial 25-1011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying an ILS approach to runway 9R at Flying Cloud Airport, Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The weather was 300 feet overcast with a visibility of 1/2 mile in fog and mist. The pilot leveled off 'a few feet above decision height after flying the glideslope.' He said that he had trouble finding the runway lights due to the limited visibility. The pilot said that when he did see the lights, he was beyond the threshold of the runway and was not lined up properly with the center of the runway. The airplane touched down off the right edge of the runway striking several runway lights during the landing roll. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 1,244 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,680 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1997; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB17 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9G0 Buffalo NY at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9R, 3,909 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.