# NTSB CEN21LA373: Mooney M20F, N6474Q, New Albany, MS, July 22, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 21, 2021, 21:10 local (Jul 22, 2021, 02:10 UTC) - Place: New Albany, MS - Coordinates: 34.556017, -89.025253 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5560&lon=-89.0253&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration (Jackson FSDO) - NTSB case key (mKey): 103720 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA373 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103720/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103720 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA373 ## Probable cause The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing that resulted in a collision with a fence post. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the alternator drive belt during cruise flight for unknown reasons and the subsequent inoperative electrical system when the airplane’s battery became depleted. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Electrical power system: alternator-generator drive sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md) - [Electrical power system: battery/charger](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); cases with it: [Mooney M20F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=5870214), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that airplane’s electrical charging system malfunctioned during cruise flight in night visual meteorological conditions. He reduced the airplane’s electrical load by pulling the circuit breakers for everything besides the transponder. The pilot continued to the intended destination and manually extended the landing gear to conserve battery power; however, while in the traffic pattern, there was insufficient battery power remaining to turn-on the runway lights using the airplane’s radio. The pilot completed a low pass over the runway before deciding to go-around and reenter the traffic pattern and land. During the first landing, the airplane landed hard and bounced several times before the pilot increased engine power and aborted the landing. On the second landing, the airplane bounced 3 times before it settled onto the runway. The pilot applied brakes briefly before he increased engine power for another aborted landing because he saw the departure end of the runway approaching. The airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged when it impacted a fence post during the aborted landing. The pilot suggested that the accident could have been prevented had he used his available mobile phone to call the airport manager to turn on the runway lights, or if he had a hand-held radio to use after the battery became depleted. The alternator drive belt was not located after the accident and is believed to have separated from the airplane earlier in the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6474Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6474Q), registered now, S/N 680016, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 680016 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 4183.47 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 25, 2020, 83.07 hours before - Departed: LOZ, London, KY - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: M72, New Albany / Union County Airport, runway 36, 3,903 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 28, 2019; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 471.4 total, 380 in this make and model, 331.5 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KTUP, 22 nm away - METAR: METAR KTUP 220153Z 00000KT 10SM FEW060 25/23 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP169 T02500233 $= ## 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 20210721011309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210721011309A), Jul 21, 2021: Mooney M20F, New Albany, MS, Substantial damage. N6474Q conducted emergency landing on rwy 36 at New Albany airport ms.(M72) Night flight: one hour after departing kloz, pilot turned on running lights, the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 13, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103720. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 896 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13071935&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20Pilot%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 352 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13071844&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 439 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13072491&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Photos-Rel.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.