Mooney M20J accident near Pecos, Texas, March 30, 2001
On March 30, 2001 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4498H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pecos, Texas (Pecos Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 obtain a proper glide path during landing, which resulted in the airplane's impact with terrain short of the runway. Contributory factors were the open baggage door and the pilot's diverted attention to the open door.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2001 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Pecos, Texas · Pecos Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4498H · registry record · serial 24-0787
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was climbing through 5,500 feet when the pilot heard a loud noise and felt a rush of air. The pilot turned around and noticed that the baggage door was open. He elected to return and land at the departure airport. The pilot stated that his reference paper with the traffic pattern altitude written on it was blown away with the rush of air. He entered downwind low and continued a low approach until final where he attempted to add power to arrest his descent rate. The airplane continued to sink and impacted the ground short of the runway with the right wing low.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 2,800 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,229.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2000; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PEQ Pecos TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: F12 Henderson TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 6,236 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from INK
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.