Mooney M20F

Full Narrative

According to the pilot of the Mooney M20F, he entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 21, a 2,672-foot long by 70-foot wide asphalt runway, and noticed that the wind sock was "straight out and quartering." He reported that at his altitude of 1,000 feet, there was "moderate to severe turbulence," and he initially entertained returning to the departure airport, but instead decided to continue the approach and landing. While on final approach, the pilot crabbed the airplane to the right, and held it there until the airplane was about 5 feet above the ground, before he leveled the wings. The pilot began the landing over runway centerline, but the wind pushed the airplane "hard to the left" until the landing gear was over the runway edge lights. The pilot again considered aborting the landing, but then the landing gear struck an unknown object, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane came to rest shortly thereafter, with substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The reported winds at an airport 14 nautical miles east of the accident location, and about 40 minutes after the accident, were from 150 degrees at 6 knots, with gusts to 15 knots.