# NTSB CHI02LA135: Mooney M20F, N976SB, Minneapolis, MN, May 10, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 10, 2002, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Minneapolis, MN - Coordinates: 45.061943, -93.353889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0619&lon=-93.3539&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration MSP FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54725 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA135 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54725/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54725 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA135 ## Probable cause The pilot did not attain a proper climb rate during the go-around and the intentional wheels up landing. Factors associated with the accident were the inability of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing and the parked airplane that was contacted. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - proper climb rate - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - aborted, pilot in command (cause) - Wheels up landing, landing - wheels up landing - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - directional control - not possible (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, other - object - aircraft parked/standing (contributing factor) ## Analysis The aircraft sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground and another aircraft during an aborted go-around procedure. The pilot reported that he initiated a go-around by applying full power and "dumped" the flaps after the control tower informed him that the landing gear was not extended. He stated that the aircraft did not respond when he added full power and it continued to descend. According to the pilot, he decided to land the aircraft to prevent a stall spin. During the landing, the aircraft slid on the pavement contacting the tail portion of a parked aircraft with the left wing. One witness to the accident reported hearing the engine power increase when the pilot initiated the go-around. This witness stated the engine sounds stayed the same until just prior to the airplane contacting the ground. ## Factual narrative On May 10, 2002, at 1315 central daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N976SB, owned and piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it contacted the ground and another aircraft during an aborted go-around. The aircraft went off to the left side of the runway 24R (2,499 feet by 75 feet, dry/asphalt) striking and separating the tail of a parked aircraft at the Minneapolis Crystal Airport (MIC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. There were no injuries reported by the pilot or passengers. The flight had departed Evansville (EVV), Indiana at 1130 central daylight time. According to the pilot's written statement, the aircraft was on final approach when the control tower called stating "976SB your gear is not down, go around." The pilot reported that he initiated a go-around procedure by applyed full power and "dumped" the flaps. He stated, "I got no response to full power and my airspeed got close to stall speed and I was still descending. I then thought the safest thing to do to prevent a stall spin was to let the plane touch down on its belly. I believe we landed on the grass and slid onto some pavement ... I had no control on the ground and my left wing impacted the tail portion of an aircraft parked to the side ... and tore the tail portion off." According to the pilot, the aircraft came to a rest approximately 100 feet from the airport perimeter fence. A witness, who is a pilot, reported that he first saw the airplane when it was on final approach. He reported the landing gear was in the fully retracted position. He stated that when the airplane was about 20 feet above the runway "The engine noise increased and the nose was in a 10-degrees up attitude. The aircraft was climbing and continued to climb with a 3 or 5 degree bank to the left." He reported that by time the airplane reached the end of the runway, it had gained altitude and was about 80 feet above the runway in the same nose-up attitude with the wings mostly level. He stated the airplane remained in the same attitude, but it started to descend and went out of his sight behind the control tower. Approximately 3 seconds later he heard the sound of the impact. This witness reported that the engine sounds remained the same between the time the airplane was over the runway until it disappeared behind the tower. The parked airplane was a Piper PA-28R-201, N853DC. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N976SB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N976SB-2018-02-08), registration cancelled 2018-02-08, S/N 22-1395 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20F - Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-1395 - Airframe hours: 4100 - Engines: Lycoming IO 360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Albert L. Walonick - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2001, 60 hours before - Departed: EVV, Evansville, IN - Destination: MIC, Crystal Airport, MN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MIC, Crystal Airport, runway 24R, 2,499 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 23, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 3,400 total, 2,900 in this make and model, 3,400 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: KMIC ## 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 20020510011249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020510011249A), May 10, 2002: Mooney M20F, Minneapolis, MN, No damage. (-23) On landing approach for runway 24R at Crystal Airport Crystal tower ATCT noticed that N976SB'S landing gear was in up position and called for a go… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54725. 714 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3 photos, 530 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436608&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436609&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Crystal Police Department Report (item 3, .PDF, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436610&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crystal%20Police%20Department%20Report-Redacted.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.