Mooney M20R accident near Indian Head, Maryland, November 16, 2008
On November 16, 2008 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20R, registered N4157, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Indian Head, Maryland (Maryland Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 directional control while landing in gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2008 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Indian Head, Maryland · Maryland Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R · all M20Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4157 · no longer on the register · serial 29-0219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 36, a 3,000-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The airplane touched down on the left side of the runway centerline and bounced. The airplane touched down again; however, the left landing gear was off the runway surface and the airplane was drifting further to the left. The airplane struck a runway edge light and the pilot attempted to abort the landing; however, the airplane struck a second runway light, became airborne, and then impacted trees, before coming to rest. Winds reported at an airport located about 8 miles northwest of the accident site, about 20 minutes prior to the accident, were from 290 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 26 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 370 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 9, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 2008; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-550G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTN Patterson LA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: 2W5 Indian Head MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 16 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Observation at 4:55 pm from DAA, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N4157 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.