CEN17LA119

NTSB accident investigation · Mooney M20F · Hebron, NE · March 4, 2017

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 3, 2017, 18:30 local (Mar 4, 2017, 00:30 UTC)
Place
Hebron, NE
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N381LBMooney M20F
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 6, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20170303007789A
Case key
94824

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

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Probable cause

A loss of directional control during landing for reasons that could be determined based on the available information.

Findings · 2

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.

Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedMooney M20F: 4 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedMooney M20F: 4 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 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

According to information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, the private pilot was conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings when the airplane became uncontrollable during the landing roll and departed the side of the runway. Due to the airplane's position, the landing gear could not be examined on scene. After recovery to the owner's hangar, and without coordination from the investigator-in-charge, the airplane was sold for salvage before an examination could be conducted; therefore, the reason of the loss of directional control could not be determined.

Factual narrative

On March 3, 2017, about 1830 central standard time, a Mooney M20F airplane, N381LB, was substantially damaged during landing roll at Hebron Municipal Airport (HJH), Hebron, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to Intelligent Quality Solutions Inc. and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that operated without a flight plan.According to information received by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was conducting a touch-and-go landing when the airplane became uncontrollable and departed the left side of the runway. Documentation of the accident scene found that the airplane touched down about 400 ft past the threshold of runway 12. After about 1,000 ft, marks from the nose wheel showed swerving. The swerving pattern increased with tire tracks leading to the left side of the runway. The nose wheel separated from the airplane during the runway excursion and damage was sustained to the right wing spar. Due to the airplane's position, the landing gear could not be examined on scene. After the airplane was recovered to the owner's hangar, without coordination from the investigator-in-charge, the airplane was put up for salvage before an examination of the nose gear assembly could be conducted. The pilot told the FAA inspector that in December 2016, he had a porpoise landing and propeller strike. It could not be determined if that incident contributed to the loss of directional control of the nosewheel during this accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N381LB
Reported as
Mooney M20F (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
700045
Built
1970
Airframe hours
3,853.97
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
HJH · Hebron, NE
Destination
HJH · Hebron, NE
Airport
HJH · Hebron Muni, runway 12, 3,600 × 60 ft, concrete
Equipment
Unknown

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, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
30 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
46 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
KHJH

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 18, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 MB 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.