- Date
- August 16, 2011, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- West Chester, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N121RPMooney M20R
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110816017769A
- Case key
- 81526
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during an approach to the runway, the wind was gusting. As he reached the threshold, the stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane dropped to the runway then bounced. The pilot realized that the airplane was both airborne and slow, so he applied full takeoff power to initiate a go-around. The airplane encountered another gust and started to drop again as the stall warning horn sounded. The pilot retracted the landing gear in an attempt to climb, but the airplane impacted the runway and slid into the grass. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 8 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during an approach to the runway, the winds were gusting. As he reached the threshold, the stall warning horn sounded. The airplane dropped to the runway and then bounced. The pilot realized that the airplane was both airborne and slow so he applied full takeoff power to initiate a go-around. The airplane encountered another gust and started to drop again as the stall warning horn sounded. The pilot retracted the landing gear in an attempt to climb, but the airplane impacted the runway and slid into the grass. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that the winds were variable at 8 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N121RP
- Reported as
- Mooney M20R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29-0141
- Airframe hours
- 1,246
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John A Rossi Inc
- Registered owner
- John A Rossi Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 8, 2010 · 105 hours before
- Departed
- PHF · Newport News, VA
- Destination
- N99 · West Chester, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- N99 · Brandywine Airport, runway 09, 3,347 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 10, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,849 total · 655 in this make and model · 1,747 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 8 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- OQN
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.