- Date
- June 24, 2012, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hurlock, MD
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9542VMooney M10
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120624010659A
- Case key
- 84070
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's failure to see and avoid power lines during final approach to landing.
Findings · 2
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 stated that he entered the airport traffic pattern for landing at the private airstrip. Aware of the unmarked power lines at the runway threshold, he used the top of one of the poles supporting the lines as a reference for altitude. After clearing the top of the pole, the pilot steepened his descent in order to land, but realized that additional power lines were still in the airplane’s flight path. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to clear the power lines, but the airplane’s landing gear struck the lines, and the airplane pitched downward. The airplane impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
***This report was modified on October 29, 2012. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** The pilot stated that he was in the airport traffic pattern prior to landing at the private airstrip. Aware of the unmarked power lines at the runway threshold, he used the top of the tower as a reference for altitude. After clearing the top of the tower, the pilot steepened his descent in order to land, but realized that additional power lines were still in the airplane’s flight path. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to clear the power lines, but the airplane’s landing gear struck the lines, and the airplane pitched downward. The airplane impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9542V
- Reported as
- Mooney M10
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 700032
- Airframe hours
- 1,812
- Engine
- Cont Motor C90 SERIES, 95 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Matthew D. Sommer
- Registered owner
- Matthew D. Sommer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 2012 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- 0W3 · Aldino, MD
- Destination
- Hurlock, MD
- Airport
- N/A · Private Airstrip, runway 09, 2,500 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 44
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 210 total · 120 in this make and model · 158 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- ESN, 14 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.