# Accident 19950902027769A: Mooney M20C, Ironwood, MI, September 2, 1995

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 1995, 14:05 local time
- Place: Ironwood, MI
- Airport: Gogebic County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.4495° N, 90.1508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.4495&lon=-90.1508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7171U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7171U-2016-09-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20C (registry code 5870208, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 321 total, 31 in this make and model, 215 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI95LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA312) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950902027769A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

JOHNSON BAR BLOCKED BY BOOK ON FLOOR DURING RETRACTION ON TAKEOFF. FAILED NOTE DIVE TO RUNWAY. IMPACTED SAME. (-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF PILOT TRIED TO RETRACT GEAR (WITH MANUAL LEVER) AND FOUND THAT PAX. HAD PLACED A CHART ON FLOOR PREVENTING HANDLE FROM LOCKING. PILOT RELEASED HANDLE TO MOVE CHART AND WHEN HE LOOKED FORWARD AGAIN AIRCRAFT WAS DIVING TOWARDS RUNWAY. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FULLY RECOVER AND AIRCRAFT STRUCK RUNWAY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI95LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA312), Sep 2, 1995: Mooney M20C (N7171U), Ironwood, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to his diverted attention.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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