MIA98LA207

Factual narrative

On July 25, 1998, about 1530 central daylight time, a Mooney M-20J, N91381, registered to a private individual, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed into brush and trees adjacent to runway 18 at Thomas C. Russell Field, Alexander City, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the student pilot was not injured. The flight originated about 38 minutes before the accident. The student pilot stated his landing looked normal until the actual touchdown, when the airplane, "pulled violently to the right." The ensuing skid caused the airplane to leave the runway, off the right edge into the grass, and the pilot's attempt to initiate a go-around resulted in a collision with peripheral brush and small trees. The airplane came to rest about 170 degrees off runway heading, in the brush, with substantial skin damage, and right wing spar damage. Winds reported by the nearest weather reporting facility, Montgomery AFSS, reported the winds at the time of the occurrence as variable at 3 knots. Subsequent examination of the airplane's braking and steering systems by an A&P mechanic revealed no mechanical discrepancies. The airplane commenced a right skid immediately upon touchdown that caused departure from the runway off the right edge. A go-around was attempted, but before the airplane became airborne, the right wing collided with peripheral brush and trees causing right wing spar damage. Winds were reported as variable at 3 knots. Subsequent examination of the airplane's braking and steering systems revealed no mechanical discrepancies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12