# NTSB ERA09LA528: Mooney M20K, N999DJ, Farmville, VA, September 18, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 18, 2009, 18:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place: Farmville, VA
- Coordinates: 37.357498, -78.437774 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3575&lon=-78.4378&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74772
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA528
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74772/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74772
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA528

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot the airplane was rolling out after landing on runway 21, and the engine surged. When it surged, the pilot had already applied left rudder, as he was "anticipating the left turn onto the taxiway." The airplane then exited the runway, onto sod, went through a Visual Approach Slope Indicator stanchion, and continued in a left turn "through the taxiway" until it impacted a hedge row. Examination of the airplane after the accident, including the throttle, propeller and mixture linkage, as well as the turbocharger, revealed no mechanical anomalies. In addition, the throttle valve would have had to be manually opened to increase power from the engine. Specific pilot actions during the rollout are not known; however, the "taxiway" which he had anticipated turning on was actually a teardrop-shaped turnabout, approximately 1,200 feet from the runway threshold and 1,700 feet prior to the actual taxiway. Winds, reported by the pilot, were from 210 degrees true at 3 knots.

## Factual narrative

On September 18, 2009, about 1810 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N999DJ, was substantially damaged after veering off the runway while landing at Farmville Regional Airport (FVX), Farmville, Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight, from Enterprise Municipal Airport (EDN), Enterprise, Alabama, to Farmville. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. According to the pilot, the airplane was rolling out after landing on runway 21 and the engine surged. Prior to the surge, it was "loping" at 500 to 600 rpm with the throttle at idle. When the engine surged, the pilot had already applied left rudder, as he was "anticipating the left turn onto the taxiway." The airplane then left the runway, onto sod, and continued in a left turn "through the taxiway" until it impacted a hedge row. The airplane was powered by a Continental TSIO-360-LB1 engine. In response to a query about how or if the engine could have accelerated during the rollout, an air safety investigator from the manufacturer responded, "Concerning your question about the Mooney engine accelerating on rollout for no reason: If the throttle valve is closed, no air can reach the engine unless the throttle valve is opened, and it must be opened manually from the cockpit." FAA-H-8083-25, The Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, states, "the fuel/air control unit…meters fuel based on the mixture control setting, and sends it to the fuel manifold valve at a rate controlled by the throttle." According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, went across a shallow ditch, and hit one of the VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator) stanchions, before continuing to veer to the left. It then struck a hedgerow, reversed direction and came to a stop facing back toward the runway. There was no evidence of braking or skidding in the grass. An examination of the cockpit revealed that the throttle control was in the fully out position, and a preliminary inspection of the engine, throttle and propeller controls revealed no anomalies. A review of the airplane’s logbooks revealed no prior history relating to engine surges. A photograph of the airplane after the accident revealed only one of the two propeller blades, which was twisted at the blade tip. On September 25, 2009, two additional FAA inspectors removed the cowling and examined the engine. They confirmed that the throttle linkage operated smoothly between the fully open and fully closed positions. There was no evidence of any throttle linkage sticking or binding. The fuel control for the turbocharger was also checked, with no mechanical anomalies noted and no evidence of leakage. In addition, the propeller pitch control was moved from the fully in to the fully out positionsmoothly, and without binding. Runway 21 was 4,400 feet long and 75 feet wide. The only taxiway, a left turn to the parking apron, was about 2,800 feet from the runway threshold, and 1,700 feet beyond the approximate point where the airplane departed the runway. Runway 21 did not have a parallel taxiway, and to take off from that runway would require a back taxi on runway 3, and a course reversal at one of two teardrop-shaped turnabouts. One of the turnabouts was located at the approach end of runway 21, and another was located about 200 hundred feet beyond the point where the airplane departed the runway, or about 1,500 feet prior to the taxiway that joined the parking apron. Both turnabouts were on the left side of runway 21. Winds at the time, as reported by the pilot, were from 210 degrees true at 3 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N999DJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N999DJ-2013-05-31), registration cancelled 2013-05-31, S/N 25-0145, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 25-0145
- Airframe hours: 2298
- Engines: Continental TSIO-360-LB1 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 8, 2009, 20 hours before
- Departed: EDN, Enterprise, AL
- Destination: FVX, Farmville, VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: FVX, Farmdale Airport, runway 21, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,504 total, 270 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: FVX

## 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 20090918049949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090918049949A), Sep 18, 2009: Mooney Airc M20K, Farmville, VA, Destroyed. Immediately after touchdown on runway 21 at Farmville, Virginia, the aircraft engine surged and the aircraft veered to the left of the runway. The aircraft…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74772. 1.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 447 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323848&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323847&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Continental Engine Investigator Statement (item 3, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323846&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Continental%20Engine%20Investigator%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Photo: Airplane/Propeller Blade (item 4, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323845&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Airplane%2FPropeller%20Blade-Master.PDF

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.