- Date
- July 1, 2007, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mitchellville, MD
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N321MDMooney M20R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070701010599A
- Case key
- 66134
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 attain the proper touchdown point for landing and his failure to initiate a go-around when he realized the airplane would touchdown past the intended point.
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 the airplane was on the glide path and approach speed was approximately 85 knots. Several minutes prior, the manifold pressure gauge became erratic and was unable to be used as an accurate indication. He pushed the manifold control full forward for the remainder of the approach. The landing touchdown was 1/3 down the runway and seemed to be a "tad fast". Halfway down the runway, he realized the engine wasn't going completely to idle. At about 2/3 down the runway, knowing that the airplane was too fast, he looked at the option of going around and ruled it out because of the slow speed and the height needed to clear the tree line. He attempted to slow the airplane by applying full brakes; however, was unable to slow down before running off the runway. The pilot stated to the NTSB investigator that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and he should have initiated a go-around. The published length of runway 18/36 at the Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland, is 2,420 feet by 40 feet.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated the approach was on the glide path and approach speed was approximately 85 knots. Several minutes prior, the manifold pressure gauge became erratic and was unable to be used as an accurate indication. He pushed the manifold full forward for the remained of the approach. The landing touchdown was 1/3 down the runway and seemed to be a "tad fast". Halfway down the runway, he realized the engine wasn't going completely to idle. At about 2/3 down the runway, knowing that the airplane was too fast, he looked at the option of going around and ruled it out because of the slow speed and the height needed to clear the tree lines. He attempted to slow the airplane by applying full breaks; however, was unable to slow down before running off the runway.
The responding FAA inspector observed the accident airplane lying off a berm, in a nose down position, approximately 50 yards from the end of the runway. The damage consisted of a bent propeller, buckled nose gear, damage to main gear doors, wrinkling of the right wing between station 147.75 and 163 and damage to the wing spar, and a dent in the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer.
The pilot stated to the NTSB investigator that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and he should have initiated a go around. The published length of runway 18/36 at the Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland, is 2,420 feet by 40 feet. A completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report was not received for this accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N321MD
- Reported as
- Mooney M20R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29-0470
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental IO-550-G, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gregory S. Mudd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- W00 · Mitchellville, MD
- Airport
- W00 · Freeway, runway 18, 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 210 total · 150 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.