# NTSB ERA22FA095: Mooney M20J, N3707H, Jacksonville, FL, December 26, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: December 26, 2021, 11:04 local (16:04 UTC) - Place: Jacksonville, FL · theodolite - Coordinates: 30.273452, -81.824965 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2735&lon=-81.8250&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Lycoming, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104442 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22FA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104442/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104442 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA095 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing was the pilot’s likely distraction due to the opening of the baggage door. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/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 M20J, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Doors: cargo/baggage doors](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035230): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035230/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035230/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed on a local 20-minute flight before returning to the airport traffic pattern. After performing a low approach to the runway, the airplane began to climb slowly from an altitude of about 50-100 ft. While over the runway, just as the landing gear were raised, the baggage door fully opened. A witness reported that after the door opened, the airplane stopped climbing and began a slight turn to the right. Another witness reported that as the airplane was at an altitude of 200-400 ft, along the runway extended centerline, the right wing “dropped” and the airplane appeared to enter a spin, which continued until it impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright in a field, with no debris path or ground scars in the vicinity of the wreckage. It was partially consumed by a postcrash fire. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The witness descriptions as well as the lack of any lateral debris path or ground scars at the accident site were consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin. Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated that as the airplane overflew the runway, its groundspeed varied between about 50 and 56 knots. The reported wind at the time of the accident was a headwind of 8-9 knots. These speeds are close to the airplane’s published stall speeds, which vary from about 55 to 63 knots, depending on flap and landing gear configuration. Based on this information, it is likely that the opening of the baggage door startled and/or distracted the pilot, drawing his attention away from maintaining the airspeed. The airplane then likely slowed, which led to a stall and subsequent spin. Toxicology results identified low levels of both amphetamine and diphenhydramine in the pilot’s cavity blood. The reason for the pilot’s use of amphetamine could not be determined from the available information; personal health records could not be obtained. Thus, whether he was at increased risk for distraction from an underlying attention deficit disorder is unknown and any effects from such a condition could not be determined. Given the low level of diphenhydramine in postmortem cavity blood, it is unlikely that any effects from his use of diphenhydramine contributed to the accident. ## Factual narrative On December 26, 2021, at 1104 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20J, N3707H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Jacksonville, Florida. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. According to ADS-B tracking data, the airplane departed the Herlong Recreational Airport (HEG), Jacksonville, Florida, about 1041 for a local flight to the north. The airplane returned to HEG and entered the left base leg of the traffic pattern for runway 25 about 1101. Review of an airport surveillance video recording revealed that the airplane entered a low approach to the runway about 50-100 ft above ground level (agl) with the landing gear extended but did not touch down. The groundspeeds recorded by the ADS-B data varied from about 50 to 56 knots during the low pass and departure until the recorded data ended. The airplane’s altitude was not available in the ADS-B data. The runway’s orientation was 245° true, and the wind reported near the time of the accident was from 260° true at 9 knots. A witness located at the airport observed the airplane flying over the runway. When he first observed the airplane, it appeared to be flying “slowly” with a “very high angle of attack.” The nose of the airplane then lowered, and the noise of the engine rpm decreased slightly and momentarily, before increasing back to the same noise level. The engine sounded “normal” and “did not sputter, pop or falter at any time”; however, the airplane appeared to be “barely climbing.” When the airplane reached about ¾ of the way down the runway, the landing gear retracted, and the baggage door opened upward. The baggage door remained open and looked “like a sail” on top of the airplane. After the door opened, the airplane did not appear to climb any further. It “drifted or turned very slightly to the right” before the witness lost sight of it behind a tree line. The airplane was too far away from the airport surveillance video camera to see the condition of the baggage door. A pilot in the HEG traffic pattern observed the airplane as it flew past the departure end of the runway. It appeared to be a “normal” departure along the extended runway centerline; however, when the airplane reached about 200-400 ft agl, the right wing dropped and the airplane “appeared to enter a spin.” The “attitude was almost vertical at this point” and the airplane continued “in this spin or spiral” until it impacted the ground. The pilot’s logbook was not located. He reported a total of 422 hours of flight experience during his last aviation medical examination on June 15, 2021. According to the airplane operating manual, the stall speeds were 55 knots with full flaps and landing gear extended, and 63 knots with the flaps and landing gear retracted. The conditions specified for these speeds were: maximum gross weight, forward center of gravity, power idle, and 0° bank angle. The baggagedoor was on the right side of the airplane, just aft of the wing trailing edge. It was hinged at its top and opened upward. Examination of the accident scene revealed no debris path or ground scars in the vicinity of the wreckage. The airplane came to rest upright in a grass field, with the fuselage oriented on a heading of 287° true, about ½ nautical mile from the departure end of runway 25, and about 400 ft to the right of the extended runway centerline. The fuselage section from just forward of the horizontal stabilizer to the engine cowling was largely consumed by fire. Both wings remained largely intact, although both sustained leading edge crush damage and significant fire damage from the root area to about the outboard edge of the flaps. The flap actuator jackscrew position was consistent with flaps extended to the 15° (takeoff) flap setting. Both ailerons remained attached, and flight control continuity was confirmed from the left aileron to the left-wing root area. Continuity from the right-wing root area was confirmed though the impact-damaged bell crank and an overload fracture of the push pull tube leading to the control horn. Continuity was established from the elevator and rudder control surfaces to the area of the rear seats. The fractured pitch trim torque tube was found in a position consistent with the trim at or near the “takeoff” setting. Remnants of the three landing gear were found in the retracted positions. The baggage door piano hinge remained mostly intact and remained partially attached to its mount. About 2” of aluminum structure remained on either side of the hinge along most of its length. The forward ends of the aluminum sections were partially melted. The latching mechanism was found largely intact but fire damaged, with none of the door structure attached. The lock cylinder and exterior latch handle were not found; however, silver/grey molten metal remained on the center section of the assembly. Both engagement rods remained intact and attached to the assembly. The fuselage fittings that engage with the rod ends were not found. The propeller hub remained attached to the engine crankshaft flange with the hub and spinner partially buried in soft, sandy soil. One propeller blade remained attached to the hub, above ground and undamaged, except for loose snap rings and shims in the hub. The other blade was separated from the hub and buried in the impact crater. It was bent slightly forward and exhibited abrasion of the paint along the length of the leading edge. Radial score marks, consistent with starter ring gear rotation, were present on the forward section of starter drive housing. The engine crankshaft was rotated by hand at the propeller hub. The crankshaft rotated smoothly with no binding. Valvetrain and crankshaft continuity to the accessory section were confirmed, and thumb compression and suction was obtained on each cylinder. The oil suction screen was absent of debris. The oil filter was fire damaged, andthe internal filter element was charred, with no metallic debris present. All spark plug electrodes were grey in color and appeared “worn – normal” when compared to a Champion Check-a-Plug chart. The single-drive dual magneto was found separated from the engine and fire damaged, which precluded testing. The engine-driven fuel pump was separated from the engine and partially melted, precluding testing. All four fuel injector nozzles were removed and found unobstructed. The turbocharger inlet and exhaust tubing were partially crushed; the shaft spun freely when rotated by hand, and no damage was found on the compressor or turbine blades. The Office of the Medical Examiner, Jacksonville, Florida, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was blunt impact trauma. Toxicology tests performed by NMS Labs at the request of the pathologist identified caffeine and amphetamine at 12 ng/ml in cavity blood. Toxicology testing performed by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified diphenhydramine at 21 ng/ml and amphetamine at 12 ng/ml in cavity blood and identified both in liver tissue. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3707H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3707H-2024-03-01), registration cancelled 2024-03-01, S/N 24-0907 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0907 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 2127 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sterling Silver Flyers LLC - Registered owner: Sterling Silver Flyers LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 18, 2021 - Airport: HEG, Herlong Recreational, runway 25, 3,999 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 442 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 9 knots - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: HEG, 1 nm away - METAR: KHEG 261615Z AUTO 26009KT SCT017 22/18 A3013 RMK AO2 ## 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 20211226021399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211226021399A), Dec 26, 2021: Mooney M20J, Jacksonville, FL, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Witness statements and flight track data indicate: N3737H made a low slow speed flyby of runway 25 heg. Witnesses observed the pilot lowering the nose of the… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104442. 33.6 MB in all. - Witness information (item 1, PDF, 4 pages, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16484003&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20Witness%20Information_ERA22FA095_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpts (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 12.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16491579&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03-01%20Excerpts%20from%20Maintenance%20Logbook_Redacted2-Rel.pdf - Excerpt from airplane operating manual - stall speeds (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16483453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03-02%20Excerpt%20from%20Mooney%20M20J%20Operating%20Manual%20-%20Stall%20Speeds-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data - graphical (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 840 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16483657&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=05-01%20ADS-B%20Data%20-%20Graphical_ERA22FA095-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data - tabular (item 5, CSV, 9 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16484013&FileExtension=csv&FileName=05-02%20ADS-B%20Data%20Tabular_ERA22FA095-Rel.csv - Wreckage examination report (item 6, PDF, 26 pages, 29 photos, 7.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16491197&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-02%20MFR%20Wreckage%20Examination%20ERA22FA095-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 411 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16483937&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=07-01%20Toxicological%20Report%20ERA22FA095%20-%202021_225_001A_print_Redacted_print-Rel.pdf - Medical factual report (item 8, PDF, 3 pages, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16484223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=07-03%20ERA22FA095_Medical%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf - Airport surveillance video - view from ramp (item 9, MP4, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16484553&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=08-01%20Airport%20Surveillance%20Video%20-%20from%20Ramp-Rel.mp4 - Airport surveillance video - view from main gate (item 10, MP4, 9.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16483473&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=08-01b%20Airport%20Surveillance%20Video%20-%20Main%20Gate-Rel.mp4 - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 128 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16486333&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=09-02%20ERA22FA095%20SIGNED%20Wreckgage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 242 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16501698&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=10-01%20Statement%20of%20Party%20Representative_Redacted-Rel.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.