# NTSB FTW02LA253: Mooney M20F, N6369Q, Rector, AR, September 7, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 7, 2002, 12:14 local (17:14 UTC) - Place: Rector, AR - Coordinates: 36.25, -90.319442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2500&lon=-90.3194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 4 minor - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55663 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA253 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55663/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA253 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis During the left downwind pattern, the pilot slowed the airplane to 100 knots indicated airspeed and performed the gear extension procedure. The main landing gear position indicator in the cockpit showed that the gear was not down and locked. The pilot added power, recycled the main gear lever, and got a green indicator light on the instrument panel. While the pilot was performing the landing gear extension, the airplane descended from 1,100 feet msl to 800 feet msl. The pilot added power and the airplane "seemed to respond." The pilot added "two pumps of flaps" and turned the airplane to enter a left base pattern. During the turn, the airplane "seemed to rock and burble as a stall," and the pilot rolled wings level and added full throttle. Subsequently, during the turn from left base to final approach over the trees, the airplane "seemed to fall out with a high sink rate." The pilot leveled the wings, and retracted the main landing gear; however, the airplane struck the trees. ## Factual narrative On September 7, 2002, at 1214 central daylight time, a Mooney M20F, single-engine airplane, N6369Q, struck trees and terrain following a loss of control during the base to final turn for runway 18 at the Rector Airport, near Rector, Arkansas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and the 3 passengers received minor injures, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed Kennett, Missouri, approximately 1200, with Rector, Arkansas, as its intended destination. The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, found the airplane in a heavy wooded area approximately 200 yards short of the runway. The airplane was resting on its left side in a near inverted attitude. The main landing gear was in the retracted position. The left wing and the aft fuselage were found separated from the airframe. On a written statement, the 4,000-hour pilot reported that during the left downwind pattern, he slowed the airplane to 100 knots indicated airspeed and performed the gear extension procedure. The main landing gear position indicator in the cockpit showed that the gear was not down and locked. The pilot added power, recycled the main gear lever, and got a green indicator light on the instrument panel. During the time in which the pilot was performing the landing gear extension, the airplane descended from 1,100 feet msl to 800 feet msl. The pilot added power and the airplane "seemed to respond." The pilot added "two pumps of flaps" and turned the airplane to enter a left base pattern. During the turn, the airplane "seemed to rock and burble as a stall," and the pilot rolled wings level and added full throttle. Subsequently, during the turn from left base to final approach over the trees, the airplane "seemed to fall out with a high sink rate." The pilot leveled the wings, and retracted the main landing gear; however, the airplane struck the trees. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6369Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6369Q-2013-04-29), registration cancelled 2013-04-29, S/N 670452, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20F - Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 670451 - Airframe hours: 2094 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Allen R. Earls - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2002 - Departed: TKX, Kennett, MO - Destination: 7M8, Rector, AR - Airport: 7M8, Rector Airport, runway 18, 3,405 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,000 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: JBR, 30 nm away ## 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 20020907031359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020907031359A), Sep 7, 2002: Mooney M20F, Rector, AR, Destroyed. (-23) On September 7, 2002, at approximately 1214 local time a Mooney-20-F, registration number N6369Q, serial number 670452 owned by allen r. earls at… 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.