20140302003419I

Incident · Substantial damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20S · San Diego, CA · March 2, 2014

Date: March 2, 2014 · 10:30 local
Place: San Diego, CA
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N56FM
Reported as: Mooney M20S
Reported engine: Continental IO-550 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,930 total220 in this make and model65 in the last 90 days

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.

The pilot began his descent for myf under IFR conditions. Under the stress of IFR flight, the pilot became distracted, setting up the stage for mistakes. The pilot has 220 hours in make and model. But, according to his statement, he confused the gear warning horn with the stall warning horn. The pilot continue his descent thinking that the landing gear was extended. The tower called out for a go around but it was to late. Obviously he had a gear up situation.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT BEGAN HIS DESCENT FOR MYF UNDER IFR CONDITIONS. UNDER THE STRESS OF IFR FLIGHT, THE PILOT BECAME DISTRACTED, SETTING UP THE STAGE FOR MISTAKES. THE PILOT HAS 220 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL. BUT, ACCORDING TO HIS STATEMENT, HE CONFUSED THE GEAR WARNING HORN WITH THE STALL WARNING HORN. THE PILOT CONTINUE HIS DESCENT THINKING THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. THE TOWER CALLED OUT FOR A GO AROUND BUT IT WAS TO LATE. OBVIOUSLY HE HAD A GEAR UP SITUATION.