# NTSB ATL94LA176: Mooney M20J, N97136, Chamblee, GA, September 22, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 22, 1994, 19:47 local (23:47 UTC) - Place: Chamblee, GA - Coordinates: 33.900669, -84.299354 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9007&lon=-84.2994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3449 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL94LA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3449/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94LA176 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE THAT RESULTED A IN HARD LANDING, FOLLOWED BY HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO- AROUND. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command - Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skid, go-around (vfr) - In flight collision with terrain/water, go-around (vfr) - landing gear,nose gear - collapsed - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE DEPARTED THE LANDING PATTERN FOR A WHILE, TO CONDUCT PRACTICE MANEUVERS AT ALTITUDE. UPON RETURN TO THE SAME FIELD, ADDITIONAL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. ON THE ACCIDENT LANDING, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO LAND HARD AND BOUNCE. POWER WAS APPLIED, THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE YAWED LEFT, AND THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND DRAGGED THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR THEN STRUCK THE GROUND AND WAS SHEARED AWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN SLID TO A STOP. ## Factual narrative On September 22, 1994, at 1947 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N97136, collided with the runway during landing at the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, Chamblee, Georgia. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane received substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. The local flight originated from the same airport about 1845, on the same day. According to the pilot, he had completed several touch and go landings to runway 20R. During the landing phase of this touch and go landing, the nose of the airplane yawed left, and dropped down. The airplane continued turning left and came to a stop. According to the report by the air traffic control tower personnel to the flight standards inspector, the airplane landed hard, power was applied, control of the airplane was lost, and the left wing contacted the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N97136](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N97136), registered now, S/N 24-1061, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1061 - Airframe hours: 2654 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Knowlton, Keith E. - Registered owner: Aeroflight, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Limited (Special); Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 2, 1994, 101 hours before - Departed: PDK - Destination: PDK, GA - Airport: PDK, Dekalb-Peachtree, runway 20R, 3,744 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; commercial, foreign, student, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 833 total, 9 in this make and model, 165 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 2 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PDK, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940922029849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940922029849A), Sep 22, 1994: Mooney M20J, Atlanta, GA, Substantial damage. Yawed in flare for landing landed hard. Applied power. Lost control. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.