CEN09IA416

NTSB incident investigation · Mooney M20J · Midland, TX · July 6, 2009

Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal report
Date
July 6, 2009, 15:46 local (20:46 UTC)
Place
Midland, TX
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Minor damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N201FDMooney M20J
Defining event
Landing: Landing gear not configured
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 30, 2009
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20090706011599A
Case key
74216

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

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to ensure the airplane was properly configured, which resulted in a wheels-up landing.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Use of equip/info: use of equip/systemPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotMooney M20J: 7 casesAll aircraft: 1,391 casesProbable cause
Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sysAircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operatedMooney M20J: 7 casesAll aircraft: 416 casesProbable cause
Action: forgotten action/omissionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotMooney M20J: 2 casesAll aircraft: 440 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

**This report was modified on May 20, 2010** The private pilot stated that following an uneventful approach to land, the airplane's landing gear collapsed after touchdown. The pilot reported that he heard the main landing gear tires "squeak" onto the runway, after which he lowered the nose and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to a stop. The pilot exited the airplane and put out a fire that had started. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained minor damage. An examination of the airplane showed the propeller tips curled, and scrapes on the inboard edges of the flaps. Longitudinal-running scrapes were observed on the Fiberglass belly pan. The inner portions of the main gear doors and both nose gear doors also showed longitudinal scrapes indicative of the gear doors being closed when the airplane made contact with the runway surface. An examination of the runway showed a series of single, narrow metal scrapes, proceeding down the runway, which were consistent with an underbelly antennae making contact. This was followed by a single long and wider scrape, consistent with the airplane’s underbelly making contact, which proceeded down and to the left side of the runway to the runway’s left edge. Further on-scene examination of the airplane showed that the landing gear extension handle was in the up (retracted) position. The flap extension handle was also in the up (retracted) position. During follow on testing, the landing gear was successfully extended. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane, and the pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the landing gear prior to the accident. In his written statement, the pilot reported that prior to leaving the airplane, he went back inside, raised the flaps and placed the landing gear handle in the retracted position, and then turned off the power.

Factual narrative

**This report was modified on May 20, 2010** The private pilot stated that following an uneventful approach to land, the airplane's landing gear collapsed after touchdown. The pilot reported that he heard the main landing gear tires "squeak" onto the runway, after which he lowered the nose and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to a stop. The pilot exited the airplane and put out a fire that had started. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained minor damage. An examination of the airplane showed the propeller tips curled, and scrapes on the inboard edges of the flaps. Longitudinally-running scrapes were also observed on the main and nose landing gear doors and the Fiberglas belly pan. The on-scene examination showed that the landing gear extension handle was in the up (retracted) position. The flap extension handle was also in the up (retracted) position. An examination of the runway showed a series of single metal scrapes, followed by a long single scrape, proceeding down the left side of the runway and ending at the runway’s left edge. During follow on testing, the landing gear was successfully extended and no mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the landing gear prior to the accident. In his written statement, the pilot reported that prior to leaving the airplane, he went back inside, raised the flaps and placed the landing gear handle in the retracted position, and then turned off the power.

Aircraft

Registration
N201FD
Reported as
Mooney M20J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
240168
Airframe hours
4,808
Engine
Lycoming IO360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Michael Hartman
Registered owner
Michael Hartman
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 25, 2008
Departed
KSJT · San Angelo, TX
Destination
KMDD · Midland, TX
Airport
KMDD · Midland Airpark, runway 16, 3,977 × 75 ft, asphalt

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
63
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 10, 2007
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,444 total · 1,231 in this make and model · 1,444 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
93 °F, dew point 59 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg
Observed at
KMDD

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 566 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N201FD · 1

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