- Date
- August 14, 1996, 20:50 local (Aug 15, 1996, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hanover, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9103VMooney M20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960814047629A
- Case key
- 28100
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 delay in aborting the landing. Factors related to the accident were: the lack of braking action on the wet grass runway, the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of airplane, and the sign near the departure end of the 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
The pilot stated that he was attempting to land on runway 09, and the airplane touched down at a taxiway entrance, about 1/3 of the way down from the approach end of the runway. He stated that he applied the brakes on the wet grass runway, then decided to go around, but decided too late. He said that at the end of the runway, he lifted off, but the right wing hit a road speed limit sign, which damaged the leading edge of the right wing. He landed the airplane 300 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot had only about 4 hours of flight time in this make and model of airplane.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On August 14, 1996, at about 2050 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N9103V, owned and operated by the private pilot, overshot the runway and came to rest in a corn field while landing at Hanover Airport, in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Chester County Airport, Pennsylvania, 2020, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he was attempting to land on runway 09, and touchdown at the taxiway entrance. Approximately 1/3 way down from the approach end of the runway. He stated that he applied the brakes on the wet grass runway and then "decided to go-around but decided to late." He said that at the end of the runway he lifted off, but the right wing hit a road speed limit sign, which damaged the leading edge of the right wing. He landed the airplane 300 feet from the end of the runway.
Wreckage examination/documentation
Damage to the aircraft consisted of the right wing leading edge, nose gear, and the right main gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9103V
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 690022
- Airframe hours
- 3,140
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Merle A. Herr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1996 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- 40N · Coatesville, PA
- Destination
- 6W6
- Airport
- 6W6 · Hanover, runway 9, 2,700 × 140 ft, grass/turf
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 4 in this make and model · 53 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.