# NTSB DFW06CA043: Mooney M20J, N40FJ, San Antonio, TX, December 25, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 25, 2005, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: San Antonio, TX
- Coordinates: 29.746665, -98.450553
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7467&lon=-98.4506&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 25, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 63002
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06CA043
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63002/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06CA043

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed on takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent hard landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command
- Hard landing, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

The 1,520-hour airline transport pilot and the three passengers departed in a single-engine low-wing airplane on a local pleasure flight.  Shortly after takeoff from the 2,890 foot long , by 40-foot wide asphalt runway, while the airplane was approximately 100 feet above the ground, it stalled, rolled to the left and nosed over toward the ground.  The pilot was unable to maintain control of the airplane, but managed to level the wings before the airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway.

## Factual narrative

The 1,520-hour airline transport pilot and the three passengers departed in a single-engine low-wing airplane on a local pleasure flight.  Shortly after takeoff from the 2,890 foot long , by 40-foot wide asphalt runway, while the airplane was approximately 100 feet above the ground, it stalled, rolled to the left and nosed over toward the ground.  The pilot was unable to maintain control of the airplane, but managed to level the wings before the airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N40FJ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Mooney M20J
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-3329
- Engines: Lycoming O-360 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: John Hermann
- Registered owner: Luxtrans LTD
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 1T8, Bulverde, TX
- Airport: 1T8, Bulverde Airpark, runway 16

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; commercial, private, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 1,520 total, 200 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

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.

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