# NTSB LAX89LA108: Mooney M20J, N5726M, San Martin, CA, February 14, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 13, 1989, 17:05 local (Feb 14, 1989, 00:05 UTC)
- Place: San Martin, CA
- Coordinates: 37.100971, -121.599266 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1010&lon=-121.5993&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 24, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 26337
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX89LA108
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/26337/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89LA108

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT BY THE CFI WHICH RESULTED IN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED NOT BEING MAINTAINED BY THE CFI. DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted
  - recovery from bounced landing - initiated, dual student
  - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, dual student (cause)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - go-around - initiated
  - raising of flaps - performed
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - stall/mush - uncontrolled
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - aborted

## Analysis

THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) RPRTD THE STUDENT MADE A NORMAL APCH & HIS LANDING WAS GOOD, EXCEPT THE NOSE OF THE ACFT WAS A LITTLE HIGH. HE SAID HE TOLD THE STUDENT 'TO PULL THE THROTTLE BACK' & THAT IT WAS A GOOD LANDING, BUT THE STUDENT ADDED POWER. THE CFI TOLD THE STUDENT TO THROTTLE BACK 2 MORE TIMES. RPRTDLY, THE STUDENT THROTTLED BACK ONCE, THEN ELECTED TO GO AROUND. THE STUDENT SAID THAT DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT BOUNCED TWICE BEFORE HE TOLD THE CFI HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. THE CFI SAID THAT DRG THE GO-AROUND, THE NOSE CAME UP & THE ACFT BEGAN A TURN TO THE LEFT DUE TO THE NOSE HI ATTITUDE & FULL POWER. THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED & THE CFI TOLD THE STUDENT TO REDUCE DRAG BY RETRACTING THE GEAR & FLAPS. DRG THE OCCURRENCE, THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT & TRIED TO RECOVER, BUT THE ACFT MUSHED TO THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THERE WERE NO RPRTD MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ACFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5726M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5726M), registered now, S/N 24-1418, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 241418
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Flying Country Club
- Registered owner: David Rodgin
- Departed: Q99, HOLLISTER, CA
- Airport: San Martin, runway 32, 3,100 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 8,022 total, 300 in this make and model, 8,071 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## 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 19890213001859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890213001859A), Feb 13, 1989: Mooney M20J, San Martin, CA, Substantial damage. Student bounced became confused when CFI changed orders from full stop landing to go around. Both lost control.

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.

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