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20050529023799A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Mooney M20K · Englewood, CO · May 29, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 29, 2005 · 09:30 local
Place
Englewood, CO
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N928MB
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN05LA139
Reported as
Mooney M20K
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total2,200 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N928MBRegistered now · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0859 · Built 1985Airframe modelMooney M20KEngine 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) Shortly after take-off for an IFR flight (weather reported by the pilot privacy data omitted as 1000 foot overcast and 3 miles visibility), the pilot privacy data omitted entered the clouds in a left hand climbing turn. He soon realized the HSI directional indicator wasn't turning. For 5-10 seconds the pilot privacy data omitted "fixated" on the HSI and instinctively disengaged the autopilot (both of which he later concluded were mistakes). Very shortly thereafter, he saw the airspeed bleeding towards stall speed and pushed the yoke forward and realized he was disoriented. He broke out of the undercast in a high speed, high angle dive. He said he pulled hard on the yoke to arrest the descent. The recovery maneuver overstressed the aircraft. The pilot privacy data omitted declared an emergency and returned to kapa and landed. After repairs, he visually inspected the airplane and felt it safe for flight. He then flew it around the pattern and determined the aircraft flew fine. Later inspection by a Mooney repair expert found substantial damage in the wing spars.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FOR AN IFR FLIGHT (WEATHER REPORTED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ AS 1000 FOOT OVERCAST AND 3 MILES VISIBILITY), THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ ENTERED THE CLOUDS IN A LEFT HAND CLIMBING TURN. HE SOON REALIZED THE HSI DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR WASN'T TURNING. FOR 5-10 SECONDS THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ "FIXATED" ON THE HSI AND INSTINCTIVELY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT (BOTH OF WHICH HE LATER CONCLUDED WERE MISTAKES). VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE SAW THE AIRSPEED BLEEDING TOWARDS STALL SPEED AND PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD AND REALIZED HE WAS DISORIENTED. HE BROKE OUT OF THE UNDERCAST IN A HIGH SPEED, HIGH ANGLE DIVE. HE SAID HE PULLED HARD ON THE YOKE TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE RECOVERY MANEUVER OVERSTRESSED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO KAPA AND LANDED. AFTER REPAIRS, HE VISUALLY INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AND FELT IT SAFE FOR FLIGHT. HE THEN FLEW IT AROUND THE PATTERN AND DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT FLEW FINE. LATER INSPECTION BY A MOONEY REPAIR EXPERT FOUND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE WING SPARS.

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 DEN05LA139Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnglewood, COthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane and the pilot's improper use of unusual attitude recovery procedure. Contributing factors were the failure of the HSI and the clouds.May 29, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N928MB · 1

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

Incident 20260708008109ILanding: Touchdown · La Belle, FLPilot did not mention in the narrative of their statement that they had used a checklist.Jul 8, 2026 · Minor damage