# NTSB NYC01LA186: Mooney M20J, N4223H, Mitchellville, MD, July 23, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 2001, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Mitchellville, MD - Location: 38.9414° N, 76.7724° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FREEWAY (W00), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9414&lon=-76.7724&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 3, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 52810 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA186 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52810/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA186 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing, and her delay in remedial action. A factor related to the accident was the excessive trim setting. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - excessive, dual student - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - stall/mush - inadvertent, dual student - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) ## Analysis While landing, the pilot began to flare the airplane about 20-30 feet above the runway. The CFI informed the pilot that they were too high and he should lower the nose; however, the pilot did not respond. Before the CFI could take corrective action, the airplane touched down hard on the main landing gear, and bounced back into the air. Deciding that she wanted to see if the pilot could regain control of the airplane, the CFI elected not to take corrective action. The pilot added full power and pulled back on the yoke until the airplane entered a stall. The CFI assumed the flight controls and pushed forward on the control yoke with both hands. The left wing of the airplane then struck the ground, and the CFI aborted the go-around. The airplane touched down hard on the runway again, collapsing the right main and nose landing gear, departed the left side of the runway, and came to rest in a grass field. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 2001, about 1745 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N4223H, was substantially damaged while landing at the Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland. The certificated private pilot, and certified flight instructor (CFI) were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the CFI, the pilot was receiving instruction on high performance airplanes. While landing on runway 18, the pilot, who was at the controls, began to flare the airplane about 20-30 feet above the runway. The CFI informed the pilot that they were too high and he should lower the nose; however, the pilot did not respond. Before the CFI could take corrective action, the airplane touched down hard on the main landing gear, and bounced back into the air. Deciding that she wanted to see if the pilot could regain control of the airplane, the CFI elected not to take corrective action. The pilot added full power and pulled back on the yoke until the airplane entered a stall. The CFI assumed the flight controls and pushed forward on the control yoke with both hands. When the CFI took her left hand off the control yoke to adjust the trim setting, the nose of the airplane began to rise again, and the airplane entered another stall. With the trim in the "full nose up" position, the only way for the CFI to keep the airplane out of a stall condition was to push on the control yoke with both hands. The left wing of the airplane then struck the ground, and the CFI aborted the go-around. The airplane touched down hard on the runway again, and the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and came to rest in a grass field. The CFI reported that the pilot had accumulated about 3 hours of total flight experience in the accident airplane. The pilot had also accumulated about 8 landings, and demonstrated go-around procedures in the past. The winds reported at a nearby airport, at 1755, were from 240 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4223H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4223H-2014-10-06), registration cancelled 2014-10-06, S/N 24-0668, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0668 - Airframe hours: 1850 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Malcom W. Houston - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 25, 2001, 53 hours before - Departed: ESN, Easton, MD - Destination: W00, Mitchellville, MD - Airport: W00, Freeway Airport, runway 18, 2,425 × 30 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 33; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 10, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 600 total, 50 in this make and model, 507 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 130 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 162 total, 2 in this make and model, 87 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 15 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: ADW, 9 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 20010723019049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010723019049A), Jul 23, 2001: Mooney M20J, Mitchellville, MD, No damage. (-23) On 07/23/2001 flight instructor sheri baxter was conducting a high performance check out for Mr. Bruce coury, a rated private pilot. While acting as CFI… 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.