Mooney M20R accident near Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, July 2, 2002
On July 2, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20R, registered N2043N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina (East Cooper 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 airspeed resulting in a stall, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with the ground during the attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina · East Cooper · 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
- N2043N · no longer on the register · serial 29-0104
- 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 the approach was a little fast and the airplane touched down about a third of the way down the runway. He said it bounced once, and he pulled back on yoke, expecting it to settle to the runway, but it bounced again, and the nose was high, so he added power to affect a go-around, but the airplane did not climb as expected. He said he activated the flap control, intending to raise them just a notch, but accidentally raised the flaps all the way, and the airplane yawed to the left and descended, impacting the ground. According to the pilot, there were no preaccident failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: 2,185 hours in all; 875 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 875 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2001; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,360 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-550G-6B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Marietta GA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 8S5 Mt. Pleasant SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from CHS, 13 miles away
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.