# NTSB DEN05LA139: Mooney M20K, N928MB, Englewood, CO, May 29, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 29, 2005, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Englewood, CO - Coordinates: 39.569999, -104.849166 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5700&lon=-104.8492&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: DEN FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 62485 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62485/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA139 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane and the pilot's improper use of unusual attitude recovery procedure. Contributing factors were the failure of the HSI and the clouds. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, climb - to cruise - flight/nav instruments,horiz situation ind(hsi) - failure,total (contributing factor) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled - wing,spar - overload - improper use of procedure, pilot in command (cause) - wing - bent ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was in instrument meteorological conditions and climbing to his cruise altitude when the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) failed. He became disoriented, the airplane got into an unusual attitude, and he lost control of the airplane. When the airplane broke out of the clouds, it was descending rapidly, and he pulled back hard on the control yoke to arrest the descent. During the recovery, the airplane's structural limitations were exceeded and the airplane was overstressed. According to a telephone interview with a mechanic who replaced the HSI at Duncan Aviation, a repair shop located at APA, a plastic gear in the HSI was "stripped" and the heading bug caused the compass card to "hang-up." ## Factual narrative On May 29, 2005, approximately 0930 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N928MB, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it was overstressed after departing Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, sustained no injuries. The flight originated at APA approximately 0900 and was en route to Camarillo Airport (CMA), Camarillo, California. According to the pilot, he was in instrument meteorological conditions and climbing to his cruise altitude when the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) failed. He became disoriented, the airplane got into an unusual attitude, and he lost control of the airplane. When the airplane broke out of the clouds, it was descending rapidly, and he pulled back hard on the control yoke to arrest the descent. During the recovery, the airplane's structural limitations were exceeded and the airplane was overstressed. According to a telephone interview with a mechanic who replaced the HSI at Duncan Aviation, a repair shop located at APA, a plastic gear in the HSI was "stripped" and the heading bug caused the compass card to "hang-up." According to an FAA airworthiness safety inspector, the wing was wrinkled and the accompanying rivets were "popped." Damage to the wing was such that the insurance company wrote off the airplane as a total loss. The pilot was unaware of the damage to the airplane and had flown it on numerous occasions after the accident. When the damage was brought to his attention, he reported the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N928MB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N928MB), registered now, S/N 25-0859, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-0859 - Airframe hours: 2706 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-GB 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Martin Lawrence - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2005, 50 hours before - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Destination: CMA, Camarillo, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: APA, Centennial Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,260 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: APA ## 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 20050529023799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050529023799A), May 29, 2005: Mooney M20K, Englewood, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Shortly after take-off for an IFR flight (weather reported by the pilot [privacy data omitted] as 1000 foot overcast and 3 miles visibility), the pilot… 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.