# NTSB FTW98LA142: Mooney M20C, N5653Q, Broomfield, CO, March 6, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 6, 1998, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place: Broomfield, CO
- Coordinates: 39.939136, -105.059326 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9391&lon=-105.0593&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 13, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 20549
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA142
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20549/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA142

## Probable cause

failure of the pilot to extend the landing gear before landing.  A factor relating to the accident was: his attention being diverted, when his daughter got air sick.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

During a local area personal flight, the pilot's daughter got air sick as they were in the local traffic pattern performing touch-and-go landings. The pilot was attempting to find her an air sickness bag and forgot to lower the landing gear. He did not hear the landing gear warning horn with his head set on.

## Factual narrative

On March 6, 1998, at 1530 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N5653Q, sustained substantial damage during landing at Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado.   The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured.  No flight plan was filed for this local area personal flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.  The flight originated at 1440.

According to the pilot, he was conducting touch-and-go landings and was on approach for runway 29L when his daughter got air sick.  The pilot was trying to find her an air sickness bag and forgot to lower the landing gear.  In a telephone interview with the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot said he did not hear the landing gear warning horn and did not think that he could with his head set on.   He became aware the landing gear was not down when the hull began to scrape on the runway.   According to his written statement, when the aircraft came to a stop, he and his passengers exited the aircraft after he shut off the fuel and pulled the circuit breakers.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5653Q (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Mooney M20C
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3025
- Airframe hours: 3777
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Mark L. Robinson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 1996, 63 hours before
- Departed: BJC
- Airport: BJC, Jefferson County, runway 29L, 7,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 200 total, 78 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: BJC, 1 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 19980306006809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980306006809A), Mar 6, 1998: Mooney M20C, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. Distracted by airsick passenger landed gear up. (.4)during a local area personal flight, the pilot's daughter got air sick as they were in the local traffic…

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.

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