BFO93LA130

NTSB accident investigation · Mooney M20J · Cooperstown, NY · July 19, 1993

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 19, 1993, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
Place
Cooperstown, NY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5817PMooney M20J
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 17, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930719024459A
Case key
8793

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and his delay in initiating a go-around. Other related factors were the rain and the wet runway.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

OverrunLanding
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Go-around - delayedPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - wetFactor
Weather condition - rainFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - aborted
Terrain condition - roadway/highway

Analysis

The pilot made three unsuccessful attempts to land on runway 2. A witness reported that on the fourth landing, the pilot landed long with about 500 feet of runway remaining. He stated that the pilot tried to go around with 30 feet of runway left. The pilot stated that his last approach appeared to be satisfactory, as his airspeed was 70 knots and he touched down 1/4 way down the 2300 foot grass runway. He stated that he raised his flaps, applied the brakes, but the brakes locked up and the airplane started to skid. He reported that he attempted to go around, but he did not have enough airspeed; he raised the nose to clear terrain, and the airplane stalled, impacted the ground and exited onto a road. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction,and the accident could have been prevented if he had aborted the landing and diverted to another airport with better conditions.

Factual narrative

On Monday, July 19, 1993, at about 1400 eastern daylight time, N5817P, a Mooney M20J, operated by K L I Aero Services Inc. of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, and piloted by Gary Wolf of Lauderhill, Florida, crashed during landing at Cooperstown Westville Airport, Cooperstown, New York. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The flight was operated under 14 CFR 91 and originated in Albany, New York.

The pilot made three unsuccessful attempts to land on runway 2. A witness reported that the pilot landed long with about 500 feet of runway remaining. He also stated that the pilot with 30 feet of runway remaining tried to go around.

The pilot stated that his last approach seemed to be satisfactory. He stated that his airspeed was 70 knots and he touched down 1/4 way down the runway. "Raised flaps, applied brakes. Plane continued down runway skidding and locked brakes. When end of runway in view, attempted go- around. Unable to obtain speed...lowered nose to gain speed and then raised to avoid terrain. Stalled and dropped." The pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction and the accident could have been prevented if he had aborted the landing and diverted to an alternate airport with better conditions.

According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was landing on a 2300 foot long, wet grass strip. The pilot reported that he applied the brakes, but he was unable to stop and exited the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N5817P
Reported as
Mooney M20J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
24-1591
Airframe hours
2,133
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
K L I Aero Services Inc.
Registered owner
K L I Aero Services
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 24, 1993 · 18 hours before
Departed
Albany, NY
Airport
NY54 · Cooperstown Westville, runway 2, 2,300 × 50 ft, grass/turf

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
44
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
280 total · 202 in this make and model · 210 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
80° at 13 knots
Visibility
2.5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
400 ft broken
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
UCA, 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.