# NTSB MIA01FA151: Mooney M-20J, N4780H, Monroe, NC, June 6, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2001, 17:35 local (21:35 UTC) - Place: Monroe, NC - Coordinates: 35.018054, -80.620002 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0181&lon=-80.6200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Textron Lycoming, FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52428 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01FA151 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52428/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=52428 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01FA151 ## Probable cause The pilot in command’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to avoid objects, resulting in a stall/mush and collision with the terrain during uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the accident was the improper approach to land and his failure to maintain the proper altitude on approach. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - planned approach - improper, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - improper, pilot in command (cause) - maneuver to avoid obstructions - attempted, pilot in command - object - tree(s) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot had been airborne for about 15 minutes and while en route had informed FAA Charlotte departure control that he was having electrical problems, saying that he needed to "get down nearest airport no emergency yet.". The controller responded informing the pilot of an airport that was about 2 miles behind him, or the Monroe Airport, which was about 6 miles ahead, which had more services. At 1730:57, the pilot reported the airport in sight, and the controller cleared him for the visual approach, stating that that runway 23 was in use, and telling the pilot to descend at his own discretion. At 1732:05 pilot then acknowledged the controller's communications transmission saying, "roger two three," and that was the last radio communication between the controller and the pilot. At 1735:46, the crew of a Hawker corporate jet, N942DS, which was departing from Monroe Airport reported to FAA Air traffic Control that N4780H had just crashed, and that there was smoke and fire at the scene of the crash. Witnesses stated that they observed N4780H approach Monroe Airport from the northeast, and saw it turn to the left, beyond runway 23, about 200 yards from the end of the runway, in a left descending turn. After the initial left descending turn, the witnesses said the pilot made a right descending turn toward the runway as if to get on a left downwind approach for runway 23, and during the turn the airplane had descended below the treeline. The witnesses said that as the airplane approached the trees it assumed a nose high pitch attitude, and they heard a noise as the bottom of the airplane slapped the trees. After the airplane slapped the trees they said the pitch attitude was increased to a near vertical pitch attitude, and airplane then pitched over nose first, and descended almost straight down, disappearing below the trees. Postcrash examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine did not reveal any evidence of preaccident failures or malfunctions. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 6, 2001, about 1735 eastern daylight time, and Mooney M20J, N4780H, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while approaching to land at Monroe, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, and two passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed from Charlotte, North Carolina, the same day, about 1720. According to the FAA Charlotte Air Traffic Control Tower's record of communications, the pilot of N4780H had filed an IFR flight plan from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, North Carolina, and at 1730:24, while en route, and after having missed radio communication calls from the FAA Charlotte departure controller, the pilot responded informing the controller that he was having electrical problems. The pilot further stated to the controller that he may need to "get down" to the nearest airport, but added that it was not an emergency yet. At 1730:31 the FAA controller responded telling the pilot of an airport that was about 2 miles behind him, or the Monroe Airport, which was about 6 miles ahead, which had more services available. At 1730:40, the pilot responded indicating that he would rather proceed to the Monroe Airport. At 1730:57, the pilot reported the airport in sight and he will go direct. At 1731:59, the controller cleared the pilot for the visual approach, stating that he believed that runway 23 was in use, and telling the pilot to descend at his own discretion. At 1732:05, the pilot then acknowledged the controller's communications transmission saying, "roger two three," and that was the last radio communication between the controller and the pilot. FAA radar data showed that FAA air traffic control last observed the accident airplane at 1734:03, at an altitude of 800 feet. At 1735:46, the crew of a Hawker corporate jet, N942DS, which was departing from Monroe Airport reported to FAA Air traffic Control that N4780H had just crashed, and that there was smoke and fire at the scene of the crash. Witnesses stated that they observed N4780H approach Monroe Airport from the northeast, and saw it turn to the left, beyond runway 23, about 200 yards from the end of the runway, in a left descending turn. They said that they did not observe any smoke or signs of an onboard fire as the airplane approached. Pilots who were engaged in various activities at the airport at the time said that they did not hear any radio calls on the Unicom frequency announcing the accident airplanes arrival at the Monroe Airport, and further stated that they observed the airplane enter the airport traffic area with the pilot executing unusual, or "odd" traffic pattern entry maneuvers. They said that after an initial left descending turn, the airplane entered a right descending turn toward the runway, as if being positioned for a left downwind approach for runway 23, and during the turn the airplane descended below the treeline. The witnesses said that as the airplane approached the trees it transitioned to a nose-high pitch attitude, as if the pilot was maneuvering to avoid the trees, and they heard a noise as the bottom of the airplane "slapped" the trees. After the airplane slapped the top of the trees, they said the airplane's pitch attitude was increased to near vertical, while the airplane was at an altitude of about 800 to 1000 feet. According to witnesses, the airplane then pitched over nose first, and descended almost straight down, disappearing below the trees, followed by black smoke which billowed above the trees. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA records, the pilot held an FAA commercial pilot certificate, with airplane single and multiengine land instrument airplane, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument helicopter ratings, last issued on May 1, 2000. He held a FAA third-class medical certificate, issued on August 23, 1999, with the stated limitation that he must have glasses available for near vision. At the time of the medical examination, the pilot reported to the FAA that he had accumulated a total of 2,500 flight hours in the military, and 40 civilian flight hours. The NTSB did not obtain the pilot's logbook, however, a representative from the pilot's insurance company stated that in January 2000, the pilot had reported on his insurance application having had about 2,500 hours total flight experience, with no experience in the make and model in which the accident occurred at the time of his application for insurance. FAA records indicate that the pilot-rated passenger held an FAA airline transport certificate with an airplane multiengine land rating, issued on December 31, 1990, and he reported his flight experience as having had 3,600 total flight hours in the military. FAA records also showed that the pilot-rated passenger's medical certificate was a first class certificate, last issued on May 10, 1991. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N4780H is a 1979 Mooney M-20J, whose serial number is 24-0871. The airplane was equipped with a 200 horsepower, IO-360-A3B6D engine, serial number L-20862-51A, manufactured by Textron Lycoming. The airplane records provided to the NTSB by the pilot's wife, showed that an annual inspection had been completed, and the airplane returned to service on February 6, 2001. At the time of inspection the recorded tachometer time was 1946.0, hours, and the total engine time since major overhaul was 979.0. The airplane was equipped with a McCauley propeller, model number 290D5-E/T17, and it had accumulated a total of 595.9 hours since major overhaul. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The Monroe Airport 1753 surface weather observation was sky clear, visibility 10 statute miles, winds from 210 degrees at 6 knots, temperature 86 degrees F, dew point temperature 66 degrees F, altimeter setting 30.00 inHg. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION N4780H came to rest on the front lawn, oriented about 345 degrees magnetic, at the entrance of a business located at 2011 Rocky River Road North, Monroe, North Carolina. The airplane had initially impacted the asphalt driveway entrance to the business and had slid across the driveway onto the front lawn, colliding with a small tree, and an electric sewer flow meter box, and erupting into flames a short distance from the business' main building. At the time of the impact when the postcrash fire ensued, a person who was working in the building stated that he heard the impact, and looked out the window and saw the fireball, and at the time of the impact, the building's main electrical circuit breaker became activated and electrical service to the building was terminated. The debris field and ground scarring associated with the accident indicated a general direction of travel of about 045 degrees magnetic, with the airplane having initially impacted in a nose low, left banked flight attitude, consistent with the signatures and scarring that was found. The distance from the initial impact mark to the main wreckage was about 70 feet, and there had been a small gouge in the driveway which lead from that initial impact point to a 50-foot diameter section of lawn where the burned airplane fuselage came to rest. The outboard section of the left wing had broken off and the left aileron had been dislodged from the wing, and was found in the general burned area, apart the burned out main wreckage. The detached portion of the right wing showed burn/sooting marks on the underside which had been in contact with the burned grass. Both the broken portion of the left wing, as well as the detached left aileron, exhibited signs consistent with overstress at the points where they had detached during impact with the ground. Along with the ground scars, the damaged parts of the wing and the ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4780H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4780H-2002-02-02), registration cancelled 2002-02-02, S/N 24-0871, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M-20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0871 - Engines: Textron Lycoming Io-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gregory M. Russell - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 6, 2001 - Departed: CLT, Charlotte, NC - Destination: OAJ, Jacksonville, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EQY, Monroe Airport, runway 23, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,500 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EQY, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010606016959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010606016959A), Jun 6, 2001: Mooney M20J, Monroe, NC, No damage. (.19) On June 6, 2001, about 1735 eastern daylight time, and Mooney M20J, N4780H, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a title 14 CFR part 91… ## Other investigations on N4780H (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL94LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94LA070), Mar 25, 1994: Mooney M20J (N4780H), Muscle Shoals, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: WAS THE LOOSE THROTTLE CABLE, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE. ## Docket (23 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 21, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=52428. 14.3 MB in all. - Reports from Federal Agencies: FAA Controller's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175925&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20FAA%20Controller%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies: FAA Radar Data (item 2, .PDF, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175926&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20FAA%20Radar%20Data-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports: Excerpt of Logbook/Maintenance Records (item 3, .PDF, 9.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175932&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%3A%20Excerpt%20of%20Logbook%2FMaintenance%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Local Agencies: Monroe Police Report (item 4, .PDF, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175933&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Local%20Agencies%3A%20Monroe%20Police%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 5, .PDF, 327 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175934&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Accident Related Impact Signatures (item 6, .PDF, 158 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175935&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Accident%20Related%20Impact%20Signatures-Master.PDF - Photo 10: Accident Airplane's Propeller (item 7, .PDF, 272 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175936&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010%3A%20Accident%20Airplane%27s%20Propeller-Master.PDF - Photo 11: Portions of Accident Airplane's Disassembled Engine (item 8, .PDF, 127 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175937&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2011%3A%20Portions%20of%20Accident%20Airplane%27s%20Disassembled%20Engine-Master.PDF - Supplement A (item 9, .PDF, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175965&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A-Master.PDF - Supplement B (item 10, .PDF, 288 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175966&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Right Wing (item 11, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175944&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Right%20Wing-Master.PDF - Photo 3: View of Wreckage (item 12, .PDF, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%3A%20View%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Photo 4: View of Wreckage (item 13, .PDF, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175953&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%3A%20View%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Photo 5: View of Wreckage (item 14, .PDF, 245 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175954&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%3A%20View%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Photo 6: Left Wing (item 15, .PDF, 221 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175956&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%3A%20Left%20Wing-Master.PDF - Photo 7: Section of Left Wing (item 16, .PDF, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175957&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207%3A%20Section%20of%20Left%20Wing-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 17, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175967&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Photo 8: Section of Left Wing (item 18, .PDF, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175958&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208%3A%20Section%20of%20Left%20Wing-Master.PDF - Photo 9: View of Wreckage (item 19, .PDF, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175959&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%209%3A%20View%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Reports from Parties to the Investigation: Textron Lycoming's Report (item 20, .PDF, 299 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175961&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Parties%20to%20the%20Investigation%3A%20Textron%20Lycoming%27s%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements/Record of Conversations (item 21, .PDF, 916 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175962&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%2FRecord%20of%20Conversations-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 22, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175964&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - FAA Charlotte Air Traffic Control Transcript of Radio Communications (item 23, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40175968&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Charlotte%20Air%20Traffic%20Control%20Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications-Redacted.PDF 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.