OpenAirDocs.org

20090428005329I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Mooney M20J · Cashmere, WA · April 28, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 28, 2009 · 19:15 local
Place
Cashmere, WA
Airport
Cashmere-Dryden
Phase of flight
Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N201QX
Reported as
Mooney M20J
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,730 total660 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N201QXRegistered now · Mooney M20JS/N 24-0367 · Built 1977Airframe modelMooney M20JEngine modelLycoming I0360 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) privacy data omitted acting as pilot in command of a Mooney M20J N201QX was the sole occupant for a 90 day currency flight. With preflight and runups normal he departed runway 25. He returned to the airport after a short local flight and entered downwind for runway 25. Pilot stated the winds were down the runway at 20 mph. He entered downwind at about 100 mph.. Abeam the end of the runway, he began adding flaps, and reducing speed to about 80 mph. When he turned final he added full flaps and reduced speed to about 72 mph until he was over "the tree" (an estimated 150' from the runway) and about 60-70' above touchdown elevation. At this point pilot stated he had the throttle at idle, or nearly idle, and a level attitude and let the airspeed fall to 60 mph. About a half-second before touchdown he realized he was to low, but a half-second was not enough time for him to respond or go around. So he landed tail-tiedown first, then belly. With the 20 mph headwind the touchdown ground speed was likely about 39 or 40 mph, so the damage was minimal. The Mooney does have a gear warning horn, but he stated he did not hear it. There was about 10 gallons of fuel in each wing and no fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF A MOONEY M20J N201QX WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT FOR A 90 DAY CURRENCY FLIGHT. WITH PREFLIGHT AND RUNUPS NORMAL HE DEPARTED RUNWAY 25. HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AFTER A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT AND ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 25. PILOT STATED THE WINDS WERE DOWN THE RUNWAY AT 20 MPH. HE ENTERED DOWNWIND AT ABOUT 100 MPH.. ABEAM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, HE BEGAN ADDING FLAPS, AND REDUCING SPEED TO ABOUT 80 MPH. WHEN HE TURNED FINAL HE ADDED FULL FLAPS AND REDUCED SPEED TO ABOUT 72 MPH UNTIL HE WAS OVER "THE TREE" (AN ESTIMATED 150' FROM THE RUNWAY) AND ABOUT 60-70' ABOVE TOUCHDOWN ELEVATION. AT THIS POINT PILOT STATED HE HAD THE THROTTLE AT IDLE, OR NEARLY IDLE, AND A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND LET THE AIRSPEED FALL TO 60 MPH. ABOUT A HALF-SECOND BEFORE TOUCHDOWN HE REALIZED HE WAS TO LOW, BUT A HALF-SECOND WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR HIM TO RESPOND OR GO AROUND. SO HE LANDED TAIL-TIEDOWN FIRST, THEN BELLY. WITH THE 20 MPH HEADWIND THE TOUCHDOWN GROUND SPEED WAS LIKELY ABOUT 39 OR 40 MPH, SO THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. THE MOONEY DOES HAVE A GEAR WARNING HORN, BUT HE STATED HE DID NOT HEAR IT. THERE WAS ABOUT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH WING AND NO FIRE.