- Date
- September 14, 2019, 08:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1085WMooney M20M
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190914023079A
- Case key
- 100260
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 pitch control during takeoff and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to take remedial action.
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.
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 reported that, during a familiarization flight with a flight instructor in a recently purchased airplane and while demonstrating a soft-field takeoff, the tower controller cleared him for takeoff "with no delay." He quickly taxied the airplane to the runway centerline, applied power, and pulled back on the yoke. He added that, in retrospect, the back pressure he used was too abrupt. The airplane entered ground effect about 10 knots slower than normal and was unable to maintain flight in ground effect, and he was struggling to maintain the runway heading. The airplane then touched down "abruptly several times." The airplane drifted left, and the pilot thought there was a positive climb rate, so he retracted the landing gear. Additionally, he was "too aggressive" with control inputs and "caused a stall." The left wing struck the taxiway, and the airplane came to rest on the ramp. The pilot reported that the instructor did not take the flight controls. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a familiarization flight with a flight instructor in a recently purchased, retractable landing gear-equipped airplane, while demonstrating a soft field takeoff, the tower controller cleared him for takeoff "with no delay." He quickly taxied the airplane to the runway centerline, applied power, and pulled back on the yoke. He added that, in retrospect, the back pressure used was too abrupt. The airplane entered ground effect about 10 knots slower than normal and was unable to maintain flight in ground effect and he was struggling to maintain runway heading. The airplane touched down "abruptly several times." The airplane drifted to the left and he thought he had a positive rate of climb, so he retracted the landing gear. Additionally, he was "too aggressive" with control inputs and "caused a stall." The left wing struck the taxiway and the airplane came to rest on the ramp. The pilot reported that the instructor did not take the flight controls. The flight instructor did not provide a statement to the NTSB. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 090° at 13 knots. The pilot was departing on runway 04L.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1085W
- Reported as
- Mooney M20M (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27-0043
- Built
- 1990
- Airframe hours
- 2,724.9
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 27, 2018
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler Muni, runway 04L, 4,401 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,041.3 total · 46.7 in this make and model · 926.7 as pilot in command · 31.2 in the last 90 days · 13.3 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KCHD
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.
Other investigations on N1085W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.