20031014026529A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20K · Grand Junction, CO · October 14, 2003

Date: October 14, 2003 · 15:56 local
Place: Grand Junction, CO
Airport: Walker Field
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5659L
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04LA010
Reported as: Mooney M20K
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 26,000 total2,450 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N5659LRegistered now · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0762 · Built 1983 Airframe modelMooney M20K Engine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was on final approach for his second touch and go. Approach speed was set at 70 KTS with wings level, at about 30 to 40 feet AGL there was a shimmy in the control wheel. Full power was applied, and the airplane fell out of the sky. A hard landing was made and the right main gear departed the aircraft and hit the flap and right horizontal stabilizer. The right wing contacted the runway putting a side load on the nose gear. The nose gear collapsed causing the propeller to contact the runway.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR HIS SECOND TOUCH AND GO. APPROACH SPEED WAS SET AT 70 KTS WITH WINGS LEVEL, AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 FEET AGL THERE WAS A SHIMMY IN THE CONTROL WHEEL. FULL POWER WAS APPLIED, AND THE AIRPLANE FELL OUT OF THE SKY. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND HIT THE FLAP AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE RUNWAY PUTTING A SIDE LOAD ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE PROPELLER TO CONTACT THE RUNWAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN04LA010Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrand Junction, COthe pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall and hard landing.Oct 14, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5659L · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19840924054029IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Broomfield, COStruck a left over air show stantion while taxiing for takeoff in dense fog. Nicked and bent the propeller.Sep 24, 1984 · Minor damage