- Date
- March 16, 2015, 19:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Laurel, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N231KAMooney M20K
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150316002479A
- Case key
- 90880
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 improper decision to attempt a nighttime landing at an unsuitable airport, which resulted in a collision with the precision approach path indicator.
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 was aware that the Low Intensity Runway Lights (LIRL) at his departure airport were not operational when he departed on a local flight. When the pilot returned to the departure airport later that night, he attempted to operate the LIRL, but only one side of the runway edge lights activated. The pilot conducted a low approach to see which lights were working and then executed a go-around. On the second approach, the pilot planned to conduct another low approach to see if he could identify the runway paint markings. If the pilot saw the paint markings, he planned to continue the low approach into a landing. During the second low approach, the airplane collided with a structure that was used as a precision approach path indicator. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot did not report any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the airport facility directory revealed that the LIRL lights were listed as inoperative indefinitely but also listed to activate LIRL with common traffic advisory frequency.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was aware that the Low Intensity Runway Lights (LIRL) at his departure airport were not operational when he departed on a local flight. When the pilot returned to the departure airport later that night, he attempted to operate the LIRL, but only one side of the runway edge lights activated. The pilot conducted a low approach to see which lights were working and then executed a go-around. On the second approach, the pilot planned to conduct another low approach to see if he could identify the runway paint markings. If the pilot saw the paint markings, he planned to continue the low approach into a landing. During the second low approach, the airplane collided with a structure that was used as a precision approach path indicator. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot did not report any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the airport facility directory revealed that the LIRL lights were listed as inoperative indefinitely but also listed to activate LIRL with common traffic advisory frequency.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N231KA
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-0005
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 3,562
- Engine
- Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pridgen Michael E
- Registered owner
- Pridgen Michael E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 2014
- Departed
- ESN · Easton, MD
- Destination
- W18 · Laurel, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- W18 · Suburban, runway 21, 2,324 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,302 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,217 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- FME, 3 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 15.5 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.