- Date
- April 6, 2005, 20:00 local (Apr 7, 2005, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rocky Hill, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4398HMooney M20J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050406004949A
- Case key
- 61274
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 maintain airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent impact with terrain. Factors included the night lighting conditions, and the airplane approaching the opposite runway.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On the short final leg of the approach to the destination airport, the pilot observed an airplane at the opposite end of the runway and initiated a go-around. He turned the airplane right, applied full power, and retracted the landing gear, flaps and speed brakes. As he was attempting to adjust the elevator trim in a nose down direction, and was holding forward pressure on the control yoke, the airplane "stalled," and the airplane impacted the ground. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "I should have done a go-around straight down the runway, not a 45-degree turn off airport."
Factual narrative
On April 6, 2005, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N4398H, was substantially damaged during a go-around at Princeton Airport (39N), Rocky Hill, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, which departed from Cape May County Airport (WWD), Wildwood, New Jersey.
According to a written statement submitted by the pilot, he overflew the airport, activated the pilot controlled lighting, and announced his position on the common traffic advisory frequency. He then descended the airplane to the traffic pattern altitude, and announced his position while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. He did not hear any other airplanes making position announcements.
The pilot maintained 70 mph while on the "short" final leg of the approach. About 20-30 feet above the ground, he observed another airplane at the opposite end of the runway, at the same altitude. He then made a right turn and initiated a go-around.
The pilot applied full power, and retracted the landing gear, flaps, and speed brakes. He held forward pressure on the control yoke, and was attempting to adjust the elevator trim in a nose down direction, when the airplane "stalled." The right wing of the airplane subsequently contacted rising terrain, and the airplane impacted the ground.
When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "I should have done a go-around straight down the runway, not a 45-degree turn off airport."
The weather reported at Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN), Trenton, New Jersey, located 10 nautical miles southwest, at 1953, included winds from 190 degrees at 3 knots, and clear skies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4398H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0725
- Airframe hours
- 5,926
- Engine
- Continental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- K T W & Associates LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2004 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- WWD · Wildwood, NJ
- Destination
- 39N · Rocky Hill, NJ
- Airport
- 39N · Princeton Airport, runway 28, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 339 total · 38 in this make and model · 240 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- TTN, 10 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.