GAA17CA211

NTSB accident investigation · Mooney M20J · Cedar Key, FL · April 28, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 28, 2017, 15:06 local (20:06 UTC)
Place
Cedar Key, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1157NMooney M20J
Defining event
Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 31, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
Case key
94933

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 follow the manufacturer’s go-around procedure, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Findings · 5

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotMooney M20J: 36 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: use of policy/procedurePersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotMooney M20J: 2 casesAll aircraft: 191 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: airspeedAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedMooney M20J: 10 casesAll aircraft: 1,681 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: climb rateAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedMooney M20J: 3 casesAll aircraft: 265 cases
Performance/control parameters: configurationAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operationMooney M20J: 1 caseAll aircraft: 80 cases

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 private pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he had traveled about halfway down the 2,355 ft-long runway when he realized that a go-around was going to be required. He could not recall the airplane's airspeed when the airplane touched down on the runway that was located steps from the ocean. However, he did recall that he initiated the go-around by applying full throttle, retracting the flaps to 0, and rotating at 62 knots. The airplane "lifted off but did not gain altitude." The pilot lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane stalled and impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook, the go-around procedure is: CAUTION To minimize control wheel forces during go-around, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/or flap retraction. Power…..Full Throttle/2700 RPM Mixture…..Full Rich Airspeed…..65 KIAS Wing Flaps…..Takeoff position after climb established Trim…..Nose Down (to reduce control forces) Airspeed…..Accelerate to 76 KIAS Landing Gear…..-Retract Wing Flaps…..Retract Cowl Flaps…..Open Airspeed…..Accelerate to 86 KIAS The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The private pilot reported that during the landing roll, he had traveled about half of the distance down the 2,355 ft. runway and he realized that a go-around was going to be required. He could not recall the airplane's airspeed when the airplane touched down on the runway that was located steps from the ocean. However, he did recall that he initiated the go-around by applying full throttle, retracting the flaps to zero and rotating at 62 kts. The airplane "lifted off but did not gain altitude." The pilot lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane stalled abd impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron. According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook, the go-around procedure is: CAUTION To minimize control wheel forces during go-around, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/ or flap retraction. Power….. Full Throttle/2700 RPM Mixture….. Full Rich Airspeed….. 65 KIAS Wing Flaps….. Takeoff position after climb established Trim….. Nose Down (to reduce control forces) Airspeed….. Accelerate to 76 KIAS Landing Gear….. Retract Wing Flaps….. Retract Cowl Flaps….. Open Airspeed….. Accelerate to 86 KIAS The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N1157N
Reported as
Mooney M20J (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
24-1288
Built
1982
Airframe hours
2,254.4
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 28, 2016
Departed
KCDK · Ocala, FL
Destination
CDK · Cedar Key, FL
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
CDK · George T Lewis, runway 23, 2,355 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system

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
64
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 28, 2016
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
262 total · 108.5 in this make and model · 123 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 6.4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 10 knots, gusting 15
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.03 inHg
Observed at
KCGC, 30 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 25, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 481 KB in all.

Other investigations on N1157N · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.