| Crash location | 38.801389°N, 123.530278°W |
| Nearest city | Gualala, CA
38.765745°N, 123.528065°W 2.5 miles away |
| Tail number | N1038K |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 07 Aug 2002 |
| Aircraft type | Mooney M20M |
| Additional details: | None |
On August 7, 2002, about 1930 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N1038K, collided with rising terrain and vegetation adjacent to the Ocean Ridge (uncontrolled) Airport, Gualala, California. The collision occurred following application of engine power during a go-around to runway 31. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot was not injured, and the passenger sustained a minor injury. The airplane was being operated on a personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Oakland, California, about 1845.
On August 8, 2002, the pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that although he was familiar with his airplane, he had never landed on an actual short field runway. (Ocean Ridge's runway 31 is 2,500 feet long. It has a 300-foot displaced threshold and trees are present in the approach path.) The pilot stated that he flew over the airport two times and became "apprehensive" about landing there. He followed the specified right-hand traffic pattern and utilized a short field approach procedure. Accordingly, the wing flaps were fully extended and the approach speed was decreased to 65 knots.
The pilot further indicated that on short final approach, the airplane's nose was high, and his visibility of the runway was therefore limited. The setting sun was about 30 degrees left of the airplane's nose. The pilot stated that he did not recall if the airplane touched down but was certain he entered ground effect. The airplane drifted over the left side of the runway. Rather than attempting to redirect the airplane's course, the pilot applied full engine power to go around. Seconds thereafter, as the engine power increased, the airplane impacted rising terrain and bushes. The pilot did not indicate having experienced any mechanical malfunction with his airplane. In the pilot's completed "Aircraft Accident Report," he stated that "it is clear to me that I should have decided to go around earlier...."
The airport manager reported that the airplane came to rest after impacting bushes and terrain. The accident site was about 100 feet west of the runway's left edge and about 300 feet northwest of the runway's departure end.
The pilot's delayed decision in executing a go-around. Contributing factors were the pilot's limited experience landing on short fields and the rising terrain.