# NTSB DEN03LA013: Mooney M20E, N9288M, Broomfield, CO, November 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 3, 2002, 17:34 local (Nov 4, 2002, 00:34 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.908611, -107.117225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9086&lon=-107.1172&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 56053 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56053/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA013 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing due to a sheared steering horn attach bolt that should have been replaced by maintenance personnel in compliance with an outstanding service bulletin. Contributing factors included the pilot's improper aircraft handling (relaxing elevator back pressure at high speed during rollout) and the ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - aircraft handling - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - maintenance,service bulletin/letter - not complied with, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - landing gear,steering system - sheared (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - runway - terrain condition - snow covered - terrain condition - grass - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said he made a full flap landing. Instead of keeping the nose wheel off the runway, he relaxed elevator back pressure. When the nose wheel contacted the runway, the airplane swerved to the left. The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane using right rudder and brakes, but was unsuccessfull and he lost directional control. The airplane went off the runway and traveled across snow-covered grass. The right main and nose landing gears collapsed, and the airplane slid to a halt on the upslope side of a drainage ditch parallel to the runway. Postaccident examination disclosed the steering horn attach bolt was sheared at the nut end and the bolt head was slightly backed away from the nose gear truss where it attached. Mooney Service Bulletin M20-169, dated July 18, 1968, requires the replacement of the AN3-20A bolt with a NAS623-3-29 screw. This had not been accomplished. No brake discrepancies were noted. It could not be determined if the bolt had sheared prior to or upon touchdown or during the impact sequence. The pilot later said that if he had held the nose wheel off the runway as long as possible instead of relaxing elevator back pressure when the airplane touched down, speed would have dissipated and he could have kept the airplane on the runway by using differential braking. Damage consisted of collapsed right main and nose landing gears, buckled wing and nose gear attach points, firewall, several wing ribs, and crushed wing tips and tail cone. ## Factual narrative On November 3, 2002, at 1734 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20E, N9288M, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it exited the runway and collided with a drainage ditch during landing at Jeffco Airport, Broomfield, Colorado. The private pilot and two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at Broomfield approximately 1600. The following is based on telephone conversations with the pilot and his accident report. He said he made a full flap landing on runway 29R. Instead of keeping the nose wheel off the runway, he relaxed elevator back pressure. When the nose wheel contacted the runway, the airplane swerved to the left. The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane using right rudder and brakes, but to no avail and he lost directional control. The airplane went off the runway and traveled across snow-covered grass. The right main and nose landing gears collapsed, and the airplane slid to a halt on the upslope side of a drainage ditch parallel to the runway. According to a Beegles Aircraft Services employee who examined the airplane, he found "the steering horn attach bolt sheared at the nut end and the bolt head was slightly backed away from the nose gear truss where it attaches." The employee noted that the sheared AN3-20A bolt was supposed to have "been replaced by a NAS623-3-29 screw as per Mooney Service Bulletin M20-169, dated July 18, 1968. This had not been accomplished. No discrepancies were noted...with the brakes." It could not be determined if the bolt had sheared prior to or upon touchdown or during the impact sequence. In a subsequent telephone conversation, the pilot said that in retrospect he thought he could have minimized the damage to his airplane. Instead of relaxing elevator back pressure after the airplane touched down, he should have held the nose wheel off the runway as long as possible. In so doing, speed would have dissipated and he could have kept the airplane on the runway by using differential braking. According to Rocky Mountain Straight Flight, the facility assigned by the pilot to repair the airplane, damage consisted of collapsed right main and nose landing gears, buckled wing and nose gear attach points, firewall, several wing ribs, and crushed wing tips and tail cone. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9288M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9288M), registered now, S/N 1221, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20E - Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1221 - Airframe hours: 4330 - Engines: Lycoming I0-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Paul F. Hahn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 11, 2002, 57 hours before - Departed: BJC, Broomfield, CO - Destination: BJC, Broomfield, CO - Airport: BJC, Jeffco Airport, runway 29R, 9,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review September 12, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 138 total, 27 in this make and model, 62 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: BJC ## 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 20021103031989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021103031989A), Nov 3, 2002: Mooney M20E, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft departed runway upon nose gear touchdown. Investigation did not reveal any mechanical reason to cause aircraft to swerve. Wind was not a factor… ## Other investigations on N9288M (1) 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. - [NTSB FTW68F0597](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW68F0597), May 27, 1968: Mooney M21 (N9288M), Crosbyton, TX, substantial damage 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.