Mooney M20C accident near Bryson City, North Carolina, May 11, 2000
On May 11, 2000 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6998U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bryson City, North Carolina (Sossamon 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 maintain directional control on landing rollout with a known quartering crosswind, resulting in an on-ground collision with a known fixed object (wooden pallet.)
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2000 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bryson City, North Carolina · Sossamon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6998U · registry record · serial 2719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was landing rollout with a known quartering crosswind, the airplane drifted to the right on landing rollout and the right wing tip collided with a known on-ground fixed object ( wooden pallet.)
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 665 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2000; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRH Beaufort NC at 7:05 pm
- Destination: GA9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,265 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from AUL
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.