20140730016369A

On July 30, 2014 private pilot-pic prepared her Mooney M20L (N147MP) for a round trip flight to san bernardino (sbd) from her home airport of montgomery field (myf).

PIC preflighted the Mooney aircraft using the checklist, and visually checked fuel using the tank gauges on each wing and the gauges in the cockpit. PIC said that she remembered that there were 50 gallons total, stating that one tank had a little over 25 gallons and the other had a little less than 25 gallons (although she remembered this fact, she was never able to recall which tank had how much at any point pre or during the flight or which tank the fuel selector was on pre or during the flight).

The flight to sbd was routine and took one hour from engine start to engine shutdown. PIC stated that she had switched tanks on the flight to sbd, but could not remember which tank she switched to.

PIC spent the day in san bernardino with her passenger (her mother). At approximately 1600 local time she arrived back at sbd airport and preflighted the Mooney for the return trip with her mother. PIC again said she did a thorough preflight. PIC stated that after she evaluated her fuel (knowing that she had burned at least 10-12 gallons on the one hour flight to sbd) she visually checked both tank gauges and cockpit gauges and determined that she had between 35-38 gallons total, but did not recall which tank had what amount. The flight back was also routine. PIC stated that as she reached the torrey pines area (which is only minutes before landing) she again switched fuel tanks. PIC thinks that when she switched tanks, the right tank had approximately 20 gallons and the left had about 10 gallons remaining. PIC stated that she received ATIS and was cleared to land runway 28L at myf. When asked about how she configured the plane for landing, PIC stated that she uses about 2/3 of available flaps with gear down. She said that is her routine in case she has to go-around she has less flaps to retract. PIC stated that she used the papi's to fly a visual approach angle down to runway 28L. PIC stated that she bounced "pretty hard" and then went around. I questioned PIC about any porpoising after the bounce, and she stated she did not think she did. PIC stated after the initial hard landing, she bounced back into the air and added full power. PIC stated that as she added full power, the engine sounded different. PIC, even though she decided to go-around, did not retract the flaps at all, nor did she retract the landing gear. PIC said as she struggled to climb out after the hard landing, the engine never sounded right and seemed to be underpowered overall. PIC stated that she could not climb and knew at that point she was going to crash. PIC knew of the target/costco parking lot of the end of the runway and aimed the aircraft there. PIC vaguely remembers hitting something loudly on the roof of the target building before the plane crashed to the parking lot. PIC stated that the next thing she remembered was being taken to the hospital by paramedics.