NTSB Factual Report

On August 8, 2004, at approximately 1640 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N11640, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at Riverton, Wyoming, at 1520.

According to a telephone interview with the pilot, he said he had attempted to land on runway 19 but had performed a go-around because of windshear approximately 15 to 20 feet agl. During the second attempt to land, he increased his airspeed to compensate for the wind. The pilot reported that during the landing flare "the bottom dropped out." He increased power to go around but the airplane continued to sink. The airplane drifted to the left and subsequently struck a runway light. Both wings were bent, the landing gear collapsed and the fuselage was wrinkled.

The Jackson Hole Automated Weather Observation System reported the winds at 1640 as 210 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot estimated that the winds at the time of the accident were 250 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a stall/mush. Contributing factors include the windshear, the crosswind and the runway light.