Mooney M20J accident near Gainesville, Missouri, August 7, 1999
On August 7, 1999 at about 5:11 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N11652, was destroyed in an accident near Gainesville, Missouri (Gainsville Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot and all available runway exceeded by the pilot. The trees and power lines were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1999 · about 5:11 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Missouri · Gainsville Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N11652 · no longer on the register · serial 24-1353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was destroyed on impact with power lines and post accident fire following an aborted landing on runway 01 (1,895 feet by 100 feet, turf) at Gainsville Memorial Airport (H27), Gainsville Missouri. In a written statement, the pilot reported the following: '... touched down on runway retracted flaps hit bump left wheel then bump rt wheel. Saw house at end of runway added power and 10 degrees of flaps for go around. Retracted gear established climb speed during climb experienced partial loss of power. Unable to continue climb hit top of trees then in electric pole landed a/c on blacktop road a/c burned on road.' Examination of the aircraft wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies. The Marrion County Regional Airport, located approximately 21 nmi southwest of H27, reported, at 1215, a temperature of 91 degrees F or 33 degrees C; wind from 220 degrees at 6 knots; and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. At an approximate pressure altitude of 1,000 feet, outside air temperature of 33 degrees C, gross weight of 2,700 lbs, 6 kt tailwind wind component, and 50 ft obstacle; the Mooney M20J, 'Normal Landing Distance-Grass Surface', chart depicts a landing distance of approximately 3,300 feet.
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: 648 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 592 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,045 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1998; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1M1 N Little Rock AR at 3:45 pm
- Destination: H27
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 1,895 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from FLP, 21 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N11652 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.