Mooney M20K accident near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, August 8, 2004
On August 8, 2004 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N11640, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson Hole, Wyoming (Jackson Hole airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a stall/mush. Contributing factors include the windshear, the crosswind and the runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2004 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N11640 · no longer on the register · serial 25-0682
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had attempted to land on runway 19 but had performed a go-around because of windshear approximately 15 to 20 feet agl. During the second attempt to land, he increased his airspeed to compensate for the wind. The pilot reported that during the landing flare "the bottom dropped out." He increased power to go around but the airplane continued to sink. The airplane drifted to the left and subsequently struck a runway light causing substantial damage. The Automated Weather Observation System reported the winds at 1640 as 210 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot estimated that the winds at the time of the accident were 250 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.
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
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 14, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,655.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIW Riverton WY at 9:20 pm
- Destination: JAC Jackson Hole WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 7:57 pm from JAC, 1 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.