Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K accident near Anderson, South Carolina, September 15, 2011
On September 15, 2011 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K, registered N231K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Anderson, South Carolina (Anderson Regional Airport). 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 directional control during an attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2011 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Anderson, South Carolina · Anderson Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K
- Registration
- N231K · registry record · serial 25-0004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he landed the airplane, and, about halfway down the runway, the wind shifted to a strong tailwind and the airplane’s tail rose up. The airplane veered to the left, and the pilot applied full power to perform a go-around. The airplane became airborne, but the airspeed was inadequate; the left wing struck the ground, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and left wing. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with 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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 876 hours in all; 770 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 174 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,497 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 14, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Inteworx.Net INC
The flight
- Departed from: AND Anderson SC at 8:00 pm
- Destination: AND Anderson SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,002 ft by 149 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from AND
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.