# NTSB CEN22LA392: Mooney M20C, N21007, Farmington, MO, July 27, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 27, 2022, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Farmington, MO · FAM Airport - Coordinates: 37.761028, -90.428611 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7610&lon=-90.4286&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105793 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA392 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105793/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105793 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA392 ## Probable cause The collapse of the landing gear during landing for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=5870208), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=5870208), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis A flight instructor was conducting a flight review for the pilot. After a normal flight, as the airplane approached its destination, the flight instructor extended the landing gear. He felt the landing gear drop but he did not see a safe landing gear light indication on the instrument panel. He cycled the landing gear 3-4 times and the safe landing gear down light flickered but did not indicate a safe down condition. The flight instructor elected to land the airplane as gently as possible on the runway. During the landing he felt the tires touch the runway, and the landing gear collapsed a few seconds later. The airplane slid on the runway on its belly, which resulted in substantial damage to formers and stringers below the belly skin. When a local mechanic lifted the airplane and lowered the landing gear, the gear down light did not illuminate. The mechanic secured the landing gear with bars and towed the airplane off the runway. A detailed examination of the landing gear system, including the cockpit gear indication, throttle warning horn, and landing gear mechanical linkages did not reveal any failures or abnormalities that could have contributed to the gear collapse. The entire landing gear system performed correctly, and no faults were discovered. The flight instructor’s report of a landing gear light malfunction could not be duplicated. A review of the airframe logbook entries did not reveal any discrepancies or uncorrected defects with the landing gear system. ## Factual narrative On July 27, 2022, about 0900 central daylight time, a Mooney M20C airplane, N21007, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Farmington, Missouri. The flight instructor and the pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to conduct a flight review for the pilot. The flight originated from the Washington County Airport (8WC), Potosi, Missouri, about 0820. After a normal flight, as the airplane approached its destination, Farmington Regional Airport (FAM), the flight instructor extended the landing gear. He felt the landing gear drop but he did not see a safe landing gear light indication in the cockpit. He cycled the landing gear 3-4 times and the landing gear down light flickered but did not indicate a safe down condition. The flight instructor elected to land the airplane as gently as possible on the runway. During the landing he felt the tires touch the runway and the landing gear collapsed a few seconds later. The airplane slid on the runway on its belly, which resulted in substantial damage to formers and stringers below the belly skin. A local mechanic lifted the airplane and the gear down lights did not illuminate. He secured the landing gears with bars and towed the airplane off the runway. The landing gear system was examined on December 5, 2022. During the examination the landing gear mechanical linkages were found to be functional, and no failures or abnormalities were found. When the master switch was turned on, there was no landing gear light indications for the up or down lights. It was discovered that the owner partially removed the instrument panel after the accident, and it was no longer grounded. A jumper wire was used to complete the ground from the instrument panel to the airframe. At this point, the gear was fully down and the green gear down indicator lights illuminated. The gear handle was moved towards the up position and all three landing gear went to the up position. The landing gear was successfully moved up and down multiple times and no malfunction was found. The cockpit landing gear up/down lights functioned normally. The throttle position warning horn was checked by pulling the throttle back toward the idle position and verified that the horn was functioning. The entire landing gear system performed correctly, and no faults were discovered. A review of the airframe logbook entries did not reveal any discrepancies or uncorrected defects with the landing gear system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21007](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21007-2025-05-31), registration cancelled 2025-05-31, S/N 2894, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C - Registry model: [Mooney M20C](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (registry code 5870208) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2894 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 2447 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Johnson Technical Consulting Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 22, 2022 - Departed: 8WC, Potosi, MO - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: FAM, Farmington Regional, runway 20, 4,222 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 68; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 11, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,600 total, 12 in this make and model, 162 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 26, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 444 total, 352 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KFAM - METAR: KFAM 271356Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM OVC110 23/20 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02280200 ## 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 20220727013149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220727013149A), Jul 27, 2022: Mooney M20C, Farmington, MO, Substantial damage. The purpose of the flight was to conduct a flight review for the pilot rated passenger. They departed Washington county airport (8WC) and made an uneventful… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105793. 5.9 MB in all. - NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report CEN22LA392 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17045929&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN22LA392_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record examination findings of landing gear CEN22LA392 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17046644&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Examination%20Findings%20of%20Landing%20Gear%20CEN22LA392-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record airframe logbook entries review CEN22LA392 (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17046120&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Airframe%20Logbook%20Entries%20Review%20CEN22LA392_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs CEN22LA392 (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 620 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17052007&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs%20CEN22LA392-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.