Mooney M20E accident near Big Creek, Idaho, July 7, 2008
On July 7, 2008 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N5652Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Big Creek, Idaho (Big Creek Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the landing and failure to achieve the proper touchdown point. Contributing to the accident was a high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2008 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Big Creek, Idaho · Big Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N5652Q · no longer on the register · serial 682
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on a 3,550-foot long runway, the pilot added power to abort the landing and go-around. The airplane failed to gain sufficient altitude and impacted a parked vehicle about 75 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Witnesses adjacent to the accident site reported observing the airplane land about three quarters down the runway prior to the pilot aborting the landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage and wings were structurally damaged. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to colliding with the vehicle. Using recorded weather information from the nearest weather reporting station to the accident site, the density altitude was calculated to be 7,383 feet mean sea level.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,516 hours in all; 751 in this make and model; 1,396 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMYL Mc Call ID at 3:30 pm
- Destination: U60 Big Creek ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,550 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from KMYL, 36 miles away
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.