Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sierraville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sierraville, California 96126
Monday, September 2, 2002 15:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane veered off the runway during takeoff from runway 21, became airborne, then impacted the ground, sheering off the left main landing gear. The pilot said that no weather briefing was obtained prior to the flight, and the windsock at the airport was missing. He estimated the winds crossing runway 21 were from 260 degrees to 270 degrees, gusting over 10 knots. The pilot said that just as he was lifting off the ground, the airplane stalled and he lowered the nose. The wind blew the airplane off the side of the runway and he applied rudder and aileron to correct back over the runway; however, the wind continued to push the airplane to the side toward an embankment. He retarded the throttle as the airplane settled to the ground. The density altitude was computed at 7,400 feet at the time of the accident. Review of the airplane's FAA approved flight manual disclosed that the maximum factory demonstrated crosswind performance capability is 11 knots for a takeoff configuration.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's decision to attempt takeoff in crosswind conditions that likely exceeded the capability of the airplane, and, his subsequent failure to maintain the airplane's proper alignment over the runway. Also causal was the pilot's premature liftoff and subsequent failure to attain sufficient airspeed for the ambient conditions, which resulted in a stall mush. The crosswind and high density altitude were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/2/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1500 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | SIERRAVILLE |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96126 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393452N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1202116W |
| Event Location Airport | Sierraville |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 079 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 3985 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1455 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TRK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5900 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7604 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14732 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 2 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1551 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 5 2004 4:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Reno, NV FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N881B |
| NTSB Number | LAX02LA271 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1044 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2450 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 18 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 96 |
| Airframe Hours | 3874 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John Long et al |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mill Valley |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94941 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | JAMES CAVENAUGH |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | SAUSALITO |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 94965 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 079 |
| Departure City | SIERRAVILLE |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | O60 |
| Destination City | CLOVERDALE |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - roll/run |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2003 5:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 3200 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |