Mooney M20B accident near Hayward, Wisconsin, July 26, 1999
On July 26, 1999, a Mooney M20B, registered N74523, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayward, Wisconsin. 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 clearance with the surface of the lake. Factors associated with the accident were the low level flight, dusk light conditions, and the glassy water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1999
- Place
- Hayward, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20B · all M20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N74523 · no longer on the register · serial 1824
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew a low approach over the lake, and at the end of the approach, he initiated a climbing left turn. He reported that as he rolled to the left, the left wing contacted the surface of the lake. The pilot reported that glassy water and the dusk light condition contributed to the event. The pilot continued the flight and returned to his departure airport without further incident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,563 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1999; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYR
- Destination: ENW Kenosha WI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.