What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 2, 2013, at approximately 1612 local time, privacy data omitted took off on runway 36 at Freeway Airport in the Mooney 20C aircraft privacy data omitted. Two passengers were also aboard.
The three occupants combined weight was approximately 450 lbs. privacy data omitted Had filed a plan for a 4-hour flight (80% of maximum endurance). Assuming he had 80% maximum fuel load aboard, given the fuel and payload, the aircraft took off about 25 lbs below its maximum allowable takeoff weight.
The weather was VFR, 90 degrees fahrenheit, 69.4 degrees dew point, altimeter 29.62, and calm winds. The airport elevation is 168'. The density altitude was 2692'.
The aircraft crashed immediately after takeoff - about 150' beyond the departure end of the runway, or 2583' after the beginning of its takeoff roll. Per the Mooney owners manual takeoff data, the aircraft was likely airborne for a distance of 1238' and estimating from a video of the takeoff, the maximum altitude it attained was approximately 50' AGL.
A post-crash visual inspection of the prop was inconclusive as to whether it was developing power at the time of impact with the ground.
Post-crash cockpit and wing inspections revealed that the flaps were set to their maximum deflection at the moment of impact. Since the aircraft was airborne for less than 15 seconds it is likely that the takeoff was performed while the flaps were set to full.
A video of the first 11 seconds of the flight showed the landing gear remained extended during that time. Post-crash inspection also showed that the landing gear was also down at the time of impact which occurred about 4 seconds later. It is therefore concluded that the gear was not retracted for the entire duration of the flight.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 1612 LOCAL TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 36 AT FREEWAY AIRPORT IN THE MOONEY 20C AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. TWO PASSENGERS WERE ALSO ABOARD.
THE THREE OCCUPANTS COMBINED WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 450 LBS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD FILED A PLAN FOR A 4-HOUR FLIGHT (80% OF MAXIMUM ENDURANCE). ASSUMING HE HAD 80% MAXIMUM FUEL LOAD ABOARD, GIVEN THE FUEL AND PAYLOAD, THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ABOUT 25 LBS BELOW ITS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKEOFF WEIGHT.
THE WEATHER WAS VFR, 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, 69.4 DEGREES DEW POINT, ALTIMETER 29.62, AND CALM WINDS. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 168'. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2692'.
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF - ABOUT 150' BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, OR 2583' AFTER THE BEGINNING OF ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. PER THE MOONEY OWNERS MANUAL TAKEOFF DATA, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIKELY AIRBORNE FOR A DISTANCE OF 1238' AND ESTIMATING FROM A VIDEO OF THE TAKEOFF, THE MAXIMUM ALTITUDE IT ATTAINED WAS APPROXIMATELY 50' AGL.
A POST-CRASH VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE PROP WAS INCONCLUSIVE AS TO WHETHER IT WAS DEVELOPING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
POST-CRASH COCKPIT AND WING INSPECTIONS REVEALED THAT THE FLAPS WERE SET TO THEIR MAXIMUM DEFLECTION AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE FOR LESS THAN 15 SECONDS IT IS LIKELY THAT THE TAKEOFF WAS PERFORMED WHILE THE FLAPS WERE SET TO FULL.
A VIDEO OF THE FIRST 11 SECONDS OF THE FLIGHT SHOWED THE LANDING GEAR REMAINED EXTENDED DURING THAT TIME. POST-CRASH INSPECTION ALSO SHOWED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS ALSO DOWN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WHICH OCCURRED ABOUT 4 SECONDS LATER. IT IS THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT THE GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.