# Incident 20200221008749I: Mooney M20J, Pittsburgh, PA, February 21, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 21, 2020, 09:20 local time
- Place: Pittsburgh, PA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4406° N, 79.9959° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pittsburgh, PA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4406&lon=-79.9959&mi=10
- Aircraft: N205TG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N205TG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,400 total, 2,050 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200221008749I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT STATED HE WAS PLANNING A TRIP TO LANCASTER, PA. THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DUE AT THE END OF THE MONTH. IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE, WHEN HE ARRIVED AT AGC, HANGAR 41. HE PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE HANGAR, AFTER HE ACCOMPLISHED A THOROUGH WALK AROUND AND DID NOT DISCONNECT THE TOW BAR. HE NOTICED ITEMS NOT NEEDED TO BE IN THE AIRCRAFT, SINCE IT WAS GOING FOR MAINTENANCE. SO, HE REMOVED ALL OF THE ITEMS FROM THE BAGGAGE AREA AND ADDED SOME OTHER ITEMS FOR THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. HE REALIZES HIS MISTAKE, OF NOT DISCONNECTING THE TOW BAR. HE STARTED THE AIRCRAFT. HE REMEMBERS THE RADIO FREQUENCY BEING VERY BUSY. AS HE BEGAN TO TAXI THE TOWER ASKED HIM TO HOLD AT ALPHA 5 AND THEY LET ANOTHER AIRCRAFT GO. THE TOWER THEN TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE RUNWAY. AS HE APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF, HE HEARD THE NOISE OF THE PROP STRIKING THE TOW BAR AND INSTANTLY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE STOPPED AS SOON AS HE COULD, MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITTING ON RUNWAY 31. THE TOWER ASKED IF HE COULD TAXI. AS HE TRIED TO CONTINUE TO TAXI THE TOW BAR WAS DIGGING INTO THE PAVEMENT. HE THEN STOPPED AND SAID HE WOULD NEED A TOW. THE PILOT STATED HE WILL HAVE A FLAG ATTACHED TO A PROP BLADE AND THE TOW BAR FROM NOW ON AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION IN THE FUTURE.

## Other reports on N205TG (1)

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

- [Incident 20170722014819I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170722014819I), Jul 22, 2017: Mooney M20J (N205TG), Washington, PA, Minor damage. Pilot was flying with a friend to perform touch and go's at kafj and khlg airports. While enroute to kafj, the pilot let his friend control the aircraft during…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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