NYC93LA180

The pilot and four passengers, which included one infant, were turning from left base to final, in the single engine airplane, at their destination airport. The landing runway was 09 and the winds were from 020 degrees at 9 miles per hour (mph). Witnesses observed the airplane fly through the final approach course and increase its angle of bank to realign with the runway. The airplane was then observed with the nose rising slightly followed by an increased rollrate to the left while descending. An increase in propeller speed was heard just prior to the increased left roll. The airplane struck the ground, slid across a ramp into two parked airplanes. According to the pilot operating handbook (POH) the recommended final approach speed is 80 mph. The published stall speed for that condition is 64 mph. It also list the stall speed for a 40 degree bank angle as 76 mph and a stall speed of 93 mph for a 60 degree bank angle.

On Saturday, August 28, 1993, at about 1835 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N202WB, piloted by Robert J. Miller, was substantially damaged during landing at the Kelley's Island Land Field, Kelley's Island, Ohio. The pilot and four passengers, which included one infant, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.

In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 the pilot stated:

"...On short final to runway 9 the airplane rolled sharply to the left. Full right aileron and rudder were applied, but aircraft did not respond. Aircraft struck the ground about 100 feet short and left of center, skidded into 2 parked aircraft."

A pilot sitting in an airplane, holding short of runway 9, witnessed the accident. In the NTSB Form 6120.11 the witness stated:

"...Saw 2WB fly through the final approach and increase bank angle to join the final. The winds above the tree line...were light from the N/E [northeast] less than 10 knots. Aircraft [N202WB] was still in a left bank while descending below the tree line. Nose of aircraft was raised slightly prior to aircraft rolling hard to the left in a descent...Noticed a change in propeller speed (slight increase) just prior to the aircraft rolling to the left...Left wing struck first...Aircraft seemed to be rising up...while striking the two aircraft on the...ramp area."

In his report, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who conducted the on scene investigation stated, "...the pilot attempted to land...with the aircraft configured with takeoff flap setting...."

According to the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), on final approach the airplane should be trimmed to fly at a speed of 80 miles-per-hour (MPH). In the performance section of the POH it lists a stall speed of 64 MPH for a zero bank angle, gear down and flaps set to 15 degrees. It also lists the stall speed for the same landing configuration and a 40 degree bank angle as 76 MPH, and a stall speed of 93 MPH for a 60 degree bank angle.

The United States Army manual, Fundamentals of Flight, states that accidental stalls can result from improperly executed steep turns or from increases in the load factor and stalling speed caused by an increase in bank. When the aircraft is close to stalling speed, a slight application of rudder may cause an aircraft to spin.

It also states that the most disastrous of all inadvertent spins occurs when the aviator turns from the base to the final leg of the aircraft traffic pattern. The manual states:

The aviator may be dubious about using a steep bank to accomplish the necessary rate of turn to align with the runway. He may try to tighten the turn with bottom rudder without increasing the bank. This causes a skidding turn that leads to a violent under-the-bottom spin.

In Flight Unlimited, a book on how to perform aerobatic flight, it discusses the techniques of how to enter a spin. It states that quite often it is difficult to initiate a spin in a particular airplane, but they may be made to spin "if given a burst of power at very low speed."