# NTSB IAD97LA078: Mooney M20M, N321JL, Madisonville, KY, May 17, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 17, 1997, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Madisonville, KY - Coordinates: 37.329288, -87.499847 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3293&lon=-87.4998&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28198 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD97LA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28198/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97LA078 ## Probable cause Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, and inadequate supervision of the CFI, which resulted in a stall and subsequent hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - terrain condition - runway - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot/owner was receiving instruction from a certificated flight instructor (CFI), and was practicing short field landings. They had completed one short field landing successfully using a final approach speed of 75 knots. The owner said the CFI told him on the second approach to use 70 knots, as published in a revised pilot operating handbook. During this approach the airplane landed hard, 30 feet short of the runway. ## Factual narrative On May 17, 1997, at 1610 eastern daylight time, N321JL, a Mooney M20M, was substantially damaged during a hard landing on runway 23 at the Madisonville Airport, Madisonville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot/owner and a flight instructor were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and had originated from Owensboro, Kentucky. According to the pilot/owner, the purpose of the flight was to practice short field landings with a certificated flight instructor (CFI). He stated that the first landing was completed successfully; however, during the second landing, the airplane touched down hard 20-30 feet short of the runway, striking the tail of the airplane. The owner said, "...an attempt at recovery was made by applying full power, but the airplane would not climb, but instead traveled uncontrollably to the left, over the parallel taxiway and toward the FBO buildings... ." According to the owner, 75 knots was the airspeed he used for the first, successful, short field landing. He said the instructor told him to use the maximum performance landing speed as published in the Pilot Operating Handbook, revised in 1992, which called for a final approach speed of 70 knots. The owner said, on final approach, he slowed the airplane to 70 knots. When approximately 50 feet above the ground and 50-60 feet before the threshold of the runway, the airplane experienced a sudden uncontrolled descent without sufficient warning. The owner reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: N321JL (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20M - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-0162 - Airframe hours: 383 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-AF1A 270 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James P O'Rourke - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 13, 1996, 75 hours before - Departed: 2I0, KY - Airport: 2I0, Madisonville Muni, runway 23, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 1,811 total, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: 2I0 ## 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 19970517046209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970517046209A), May 17, 1997: Mooney M20M, Madisonville, KY, No damage. (-23) While attempting a practice short field landing on runway 23, the aircraft stalled and fell approximately 50 feet, resulting in an uncontrolled hard… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.