- Date
- July 15, 2007, 09:05 local (14:05 UTC)
- Place
- Eden Prairie, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4785HMooney M20J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20070715019589A
- Case key
- 66264
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the embankment and the fence.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that upon reaching rotation speed, the airplane did not properly "develop lift" and the rudder seemed to be stuck in a full deflected position. The airplane yawed to the left at an altitude of 8 to 10 feet above the runway. The airplane then settled to the ground off the left side of the runway where it contacted an embankment. The nose gear sheared off, and the airplane continued up the embankment coming to rest when it contacted a fence. Post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any anomalies with the flight control system. Winds at the time of the accident were reported as being calm.
Factual narrative
On July 15, 2007, at 0905 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N4785H, collided with the terrain following a loss of control during takeoff at the Flying Cloud Airport (FCM), Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The private pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and an instrument flight plan had been filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of Gary, Indiana.
The pilot reported that upon reaching rotation speed, the airplane did not properly "develop lift" and the rudder seemed to be stuck in a full deflected position. The airplane yawed to the left at an altitude of 8 to 10 feet above the runway. The airplane then settled to the ground off the left side of the runway where it contacted an embankment. The nose gear sheared off, and the airplane continued up the embankment coming to rest when it contacted a fence.
Post accident inspection of the airplane was conducted by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Minneapolis Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that he established flight control continuity between the cockpit and flight control surfaces, and that no anomalies were found. Winds at the time of the accident were reported as being calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4785H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0875
- Airframe hours
- 3,372
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William R. Lynch, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2007 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- FCM · Eden Prairie, MN
- Destination
- GYY · Gary, IN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FCM · Flying Cloud, runway 28L, 3,909 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 353 total · 256 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- FCM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.