- Date
- August 2, 2013, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Helena, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2926MMooney M20F
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130802013349A
- Case key
- 87656
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 flight instructor's delayed decision to instruct the pilot to abort the landing which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was for the pilot-undergoing instruction to perform touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings. During the approach, the airplane was slightly fast and touched down about halfway down the runway. The instructor thought the pilot could still successfully complete a takeoff and monitored him as he retracted the flaps. As the airplane continued down the runway, the instructor decided that the airplane’s climb performance would not be sufficient to clear obstacles at the end of the runway and he opted to abort the takeoff. The instructor retarded the throttle lever to the closed position and told the pilot to apply maximum braking pressure. The airplane subsequently went off the end of runway into a grass field and continued about 100 feet before impacting a chain-link fence. During the accident sequence, the wing spar was substantially damaged. The airplane’s brake pedals were only accessible to the left-seated person, which is where the pilot was positioned. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally stated that this accident could have been prevented by making a timely decision to go-around when it was apparent that the airplane was going to touchdown further down the runway.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was for the pilot undergoing instruction to perform touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings. During the approach, the airplane was slightly fast and touched down about halfway down the runway. The instructor thought the pilot could still successfully complete a takeoff and monitored him as he retracted the flaps. As the airplane continued down the runway, the instructor decided that the airplane’s climb performance would not be sufficient to clear obstacles at the end of the runway and he opted to abort the takeoff. The instructor retarded the throttle lever to the closed position and told the pilot to apply maximum braking pressure. The airplane subsequently went off the end of runway into a grass field and continued about 100 feet before impacting a chain-link fence. During the accident sequence, the wing spar was substantially damaged. The airplane’s brake pedals were only accessible to the left-seated person, which is where the pilot was positioned. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally stated that this accident could have been prevented by making a timely decision to go around when it was apparent that the airplane was going to touchdown further down the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2926M
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-1282
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360 SER A&C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HLN · Helena, MT
- Destination
- HLN · Helena, MT
- Airport
- HLN · Helena Regional Airport, runway 34, 2,988 × 75 ft, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,509 total · 265 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 21, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 665 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.