# NTSB NYC95LA149: Mooney 20E, N9296V, Burlington, CT, July 9, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 9, 1995, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Burlington, CT - Location: 41.7693° N, 72.9645° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Burlington, CT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7693&lon=-72.9645&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 31, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38993 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA149 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38993/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA149 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear resulting in a wheels up landing. A factor relating to the accident was the inoperative gear warning horn. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,gear warning system - inoperative (contributing factor) ## Analysis DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT PERFORMED THE PRELANDING CHECKLIST. THE PILOT STATED, '...GOING THROUGH THE CHECKLIST MY FINGERS TOUCHED THE GEAR SWITCH BUT DID NOT PUT THE SWITCH IN THE GEAR DOWN POSITION....UPON LANDING, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE GEAR WAS UP....' THE AIRPLANE LANDED WHEELS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATED, '...WITH THE MOONEY ON ITS BELLY, I CHECKED THE GEAR HORN SINCE I DID NOT HEAR IT AT ANY TIME. THE HORN DID NOT WORK AS IT DID A FEW DAYS BEFORE....' ## Factual narrative On July 9, 1995, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Mooney 20E, N9296V, piloted by Paul C. Oswald, was substantially damaged during landing in Burlington, Connecticut. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There was no flight plan for the personal flight conducted under CFR 14 Part 91. The pilot reported that he departed Sussex, New Jersey, destined for Burlington, to conduct instrument training. In a written statement, submitted by the pilot, he stated: ...After locating the traffic and self announcing my position, I entered my downwind leg at 2000 feet mean sea level. As I was checking my airspeed to lower the landing gear, I spotted a twin engine aircraft to my above left. The twin was descending on a possible midair collision. I immediately made a steep descending turn to the right. After a 360 degree turn and returning to my downwind leg, the twin announced his downwind leg and reported seeing the Mooney. At this time I started a prelanding checklist. Going through the checklist, my fingers touched the gear switch but did not put the switch in the gear down position. At this time we lost the twin and were looking. He reported his base leg, but we still did not have the traffic. We spotted the twin after he announced his final, about 6 miles out. We did not lose sight of the twin again. With all that was going on, I did not check the gear switch. Upon landing, it was clear that the gear was up. The flight ended at 1110 eastern daylight time. With the Mooney on its belly, I checked the gear horn, since I did not hear it at any time. The horn did not work as it did a few days before.... ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9296V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9296V), registered now, S/N 700049, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY 20E - Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 700049 - Airframe hours: 2110 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Innella, Richard Oswald, Paul - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 22, 1994, 45 hours before - Departed: N63, SUSSEX, NJ - Destination: 22B - Airport: 22B, Mountain Meadow, runway 36, 3,420 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 239 total, 158 in this make and model, 159 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 20 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 19950709017589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950709017589A), Jul 9, 1995: Mooney M20E, Burlington, CT, Substantial damage. Distracted by traffic. Failed extend gear for landing gear horn failed to sound. 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.