Mooney M20F accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, May 25, 1998
On May 25, 1998 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N6453Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas 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 improper remedial action in controlling the aircraft during a go-around in a crosswind which resulted in a collision with a runway light and separation of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1998 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6453Q · no longer on the register · serial 670532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 25 and felt a wind gust push the aircraft toward the right edge of the runway. He attempted a go-around, but the aircraft continued to sink. The aircraft impacted a gravel area beside the runway and the right main landing gear separated after colliding with a runway light. The airplane came to rest on the north side of the runway. The winds were from 180 degrees at 10 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: 163 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,491 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 1998; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,005 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from LAS
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.