Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Vineyard Haven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Edgartown, Massachusetts 02539
Thursday, August 12, 2004 18:12 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Upon arriving in the airport area, the pilot was informed to expect a visual approach to runway 24. While on the downwind leg for runway 24, the tower controller asked the pilot if he could make a visual approach to runway 15. The pilot replied that he could accept the visual approach to runway 15, and made a left hand turn towards the runway. During the final approach to runway 15, the pilot recalled that his approach speed was approximately 90 knots, and he was slowing the airplane for landing. Suddenly, and without warning, the left wing dropped, and the pilot was unable to control the airplane with aileron inputs. The airplane descended, and impacted the ground about 900 feet prior to the runway threshold. The pilot added that the engine was producing power at all times and when the left wing dropped he applied full power. The pilot subsequently stated on his submission of NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that during the turn to runway 15, he reduced the speed to 90 knots, and performed s-turns to lower his altitude. Approximately 15 seconds before landing, the airplane encountered a wind shear, "one wing went down, one wing went up," and the ailerons did not seem to respond to inputs. One wing then struck a tree, and the airplane landed in bushes prior to the runway. According to an air traffic controller at the airport, the winds were fluctuating, with gusts to 20 knots. She had no reports of wind shear prior to the accident. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 150 at 14 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while performing maneuvers to land, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush. A factor was the gusting wind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/12/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1812 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Edgartown |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02539 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412334N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0703651W |
| Event Location Airport | Vineyard Haven Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MVY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 67 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MVY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 67 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19406 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NEROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 12 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 28 2006 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boston, MA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N231LK |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA191 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-0298 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2740 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 58 |
| Airframe Hours | 2868 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Knickerbocker Aviation Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Philadelphia |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19147 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PNE |
| Departure City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MVY |
| Destination City | Edgartown |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 4 2006 1:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 3297 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |