# NTSB CEN12LA198: Mooney M20J, N201QB, Bloomfield, IN, March 24, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 23, 2012, 21:00 local (Mar 24, 2012, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Bloomfield, IN - Coordinates: 39.038887, -87.001388 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0389&lon=-87.0014&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report May 23, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83203 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83203/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83203 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA198 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to land with sufficient runway remaining to stop, which resulted in an unsuccessful aborted landing, inadvertent stall, and collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was attempting to land on a lighted grass runway at night. His first two attempts to land were aborted. According to the passenger, the pilot landed the airplane on his third attempt with only 400 feet of available runway remaining and then “slammed” on the brakes, and the airplane began to slide. After the airplane exited the runway end, the pilot applied full power to abort the landing; however, the airplane only became momentarily airborne before it stalled and collided with a levy. ## Factual narrative On March 23, 2012, at 2100 eastern daylight time, N201QB, a Mooney M20J airplane, was substantially damaged when it collided with an embankment during an aborted landing on runway 18 at Shawnee Airport (1I3), Bloomfield, Indiana. The commercial pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was co-registered to and operated by the pilot. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Sullivan County Airport (SIV), Sullivan, Indiana, about 2040, and destined for 1I3. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the repositioning flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated that he made four attempts to land on the 2,160-foot-long by 150-foot-wide, sod strip equipped with non-standard runway edge lights. On the fourth attempt, he landed the airplane, but said the brakes did not seem to be working because the airplane was not slowing down. The pilot attempted to abort the landing and subsequently impacted a levy south of the runway. The passenger told the FAA inspector that they approached the airport as it was getting dark outside. The pilot made three (not four as reported by the pilot) attempts to land, but each time he kept turning onto the base leg too early, which resulted in a higher than normal final approach. On the first attempt, the pilot touched down, but elected to abort the landing. On the second attempt, the airplane touched down with less than 200 feet of runway remaining, so the pilot applied power and went around again. On the third landing attempt, the airplane touched down with approximately 400 feet of runway remaining. The pilot "slammed" on the brakes, and the airplane began to slide. When the airplane went off the runway, the pilot applied full power and the nose of the airplane pitched up. The main landing gear wheels crossed over a dirt road separating the runway and a plowed field, and momentarily became airborne. The passenger said he saw the stall warning light illuminated, but could not recall hearing the stall horn. The airplane stalled and impacted with a creek bank. An on-scene examination of the airplane was conducted by two FAA inspectors. According to an inspector,the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and the fuselage. The runway and surrounding area appeared to be wet/soft from recent rainfall. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight and ground instructor ratings. His last FAA Third Class medical was issued on July 25, 2011. At that time, he reported a total of 1,300 flight hours. Weather at Monroe County Airport (BMG), Bloomfield, Indiana, approximately 19 miles east of the accident site, at 2053, was reported as wind calm, visibility 10 miles, clouds broken at 3,700 feet, overcast clouds at 4,600 feet, temperature 15 degrees Celsius, dewpoint 12 degrees Celsius, andan altimeter setting of 29.80 inches of Mercury. Remarks at that time were for distant lightning northeast and southeast of the airport. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N201QB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201QB-2013-05-20), registration cancelled 2013-05-20, S/N 24-0383, built 1977 (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 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0383 - Airframe hours: 4464 - Engines: LYCOMING IO360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Woods Edward - Registered owner: Woods Edward - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SIV, Sullivan, IN - Destination: 1I3, Bloomfield, IN - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: 1I3, Shawnee Airport, runway 18, 2,160 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: BMG, 19 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 20120323004669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120323004669A), Mar 23, 2012: Mooney M20J, Bloomfield, IN, Destroyed. Upon the third attempt at landing, the pilot was unable to get the aircraft stopped. The aircraft departed the south end of runway 18 while still on the… ## Other investigations on N201QB (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI92LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI92LA040), Dec 5, 1991: Mooney M20J (N201QB), Morris, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER GLIDEPATH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS THE FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE SNOW SHOWER IN PROGRESS AT THE TIME. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83203. 388 KB in all. - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40386513&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - GPS 17 - Specialist's Factual Report (item 2, .PDF, 283 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366740&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=GPS%2017%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF 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.