# NTSB DEN04LA116: Mooney M20R, N4157, Aspen, CO, August 4, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 2004, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Aspen, CO - Coordinates: 39.223056, -106.868888 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2231&lon=-106.8689&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 59853 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59853/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA116 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing factors was the pilot flaring the airplane too high, his misunderstanding of the instructor's attempt to take control of the airplane. and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - high, pilot in command (contributing factor) - relinquishing of control - not understood, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis The flight instructor was giving a sales demonstration flight to the pilot, a potential customer. The instructor said the pilot "was fully aware that I was an instructor and that he would relinquish control of the aircraft at any time that I stated that it was my aircraft." The flight to their destination was uneventful. As they made their approach, they were advised that the wind was from 330 degrees at 10 knots, gusts to 15 knots, and low-level wind shear. They extended their downwind leg and made a 360-degree turn to lose altitude. When they turned onto the final approach to runway 15, the PAPI (precision approach path indicator) lights indicated a "normal Mooney approach": descent rate was 400 feet per minute, and indicated airspeed was 90 knots. Due to the tail wind, they crossed the runway threshold "a little high" and fast. About 12 feet above the runway, the pilot raised the aircraft nose to flare for landing. Airspeed dropped rapidly and the instructor told the pilot to relinquish aircraft control and tried to push the control yoke forward. The pilot interpreted the instructor's control inputs as an attempt in helping him to land. The pilot continued to raise the nose and the stall warning horn sounded. As the pilot held the nose high attitude, the instructor applied full power "to keep the nose from falling over from the impending stall." The tail struck the runway and the airplane bounced, then the propeller struck the runway, stopping the engine. The airplane coasted off the runway onto a taxiway. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2004, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20R, N4157, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field (ASE), Aspen, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross-country sales demonstration flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a visual flight rules flight plan. The pilot and flight instructor on board the airplane were not injured. The flight originated at San Angelo, Texas, approximately 1300 central daylight time. The following is based on the accident report filed by the flight instructor. He stated that he was asked to give a sales demonstration flight to a potential customer. He was told the customer was "an experienced pilot" who often flew his Cessna P210 to Aspen, and wanted to fly the Mooney M20R. The instructor said the customer (hereinafter referred to as the pilot) "was fully aware that I was an instructor and that he would relinquish control of the aircraft at any time that I stated that it was my aircraft." The flight was uneventful. As they approached Aspen, they were advised that the wind was from 330 degrees at 10 knots, gusts to 15 knots, and low-level wind shear. They extended their downwind leg and made a 360-degree turn to lose altitude. When they turned onto the final approach to runway 15, the PAPI (precision approach path indicator) lights indicated a "normal Mooney approach": descent rate was 400 feet per minute, and indicated airspeed was 90 knots. Due to the tail wind, they crossed the runway threshold "a little high" and fast. About 12 feet above the runway, the pilot raised the aircraft nose to flare for landing. Airspeed dropped rapidly and the instructor told the pilot to relinquish aircraft control. The pilot continued to raise the nose and the stall warning horn sounded. As the pilot held the nose high attitude, the instructor applied full power "to keep the nose from falling over from the impending stall." The airplane then impacted the runway. The pilot's accident report corroborated that of the flight instructor's, only he said the wind was 10 to 15 knots from the southeast. "Over the threshold, [the instructor] said we were too high and began pushing the control yoke forward. I interpreted his control inputs as help to [aid] me [in] landing. Simultaneously I began pulling back on the yoke to flare the plane for landing." The tail struck the runway and the airplane bounced, then the propeller struck the runway, stopping the engine. The airplane coasted off the runway onto a taxiway. ## Aircraft - Registration: N4157 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20R - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29-0219 - Engines: Continental IO-550-G 280 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Champion Equipment Leasing LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SJT, San Angelo, TX - Destination: ASE, Aspen, CO - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: ASE, Pitken County/Sardy Field, runway 15, 7,006 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 52; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 4, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 1,500 total, 200 in this make and model, 1,300 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 12, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 4,000 total, 3 in this make and model, 3,700 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: ASE ## 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 20040804019219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040804019219A), Aug 4, 2004: Mooney M20R, Aspen, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) The flight was a sales demonstration from Texas to Aspen, CO, a route regularly flown by the pilot in command, allen anderson. During final approach to… 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.