Mooney 20E accident near Webster, WI
On December 20, 2003, a Mooney 20E (airplane) was involved in an accident near Webster, WI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 20, 2003
- Place
- Webster, WI
- Aircraft
- Mooney 20E · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.909°N, 92.252°W
- NTSB ID
- 20040113X00056
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 20, 2003, at 1410 central standard time, a Mooney 20E, N1275X, was destroyed while maneuvering when it impacted Hanscom Lake, near Webster, Wisconsin. The private pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed Voyager Village Airstrip (9WN2), Webster, Wisconsin, at 1405, and was en route to Crystal Airport (MIC), Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. One witness, who was the son of the accident pilot, reported that he had driven the pilot and passenger to the airport from their nearby lake cabin. He observed the pilot preflight and start the airplane. He reported that the airplane sounded "okay" during taxi and takeoff. The witness returned to the lake cabin and saw the airplane fly over the cabin about 200 - 300 feet above the cabin in the direction of the lake. The witness went back into the cabin and was unaware of the accident until emergency vehicles started arriving at the lake. Witnesses to the accident reported seeing the airplane flying low over the lake. One witness stated the airplane's altitude was between 60 - 100 feet above ground level (agl). The witnesses reported seeing the airplane enter a steep climb to about 300 feet agl. Then the airplane reversed direction and entered a steep descent and impacted the ice. One witness reported the airplane "went straight up in the air about 200 feet, made a hairpin turn, and came straight down, hitting the ice nose first." Some witnesses heard the engine making "popping" or "backfiring noises," and othe
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate decision to conduct a low altitude flight maneuver without sufficient altitude to maintain clearance from the terrain. Low altitude flight and ostentatious display are contributing factors.
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Browse: Wisconsin · Mooney aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
