Casualties unknown

2001-07-23: Mooney M20J (N4223H) — Mitchellville, MD

Mitchellville, MD, US

On July 23, 2001, a Mooney M20J (registration N4223H) was involved in an aviation accident near Mitchellville, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

During a training landing, the pilot flared too high, resulting in a hard touchdown and bounce. The CFI delayed intervention; the pilot then initiated a stall while attempting a go-around. After the CFI took controls, the aircraft struck the ground and veered off the runway, collapsing the landing gear.

Event Overview

During a landing attempt, the pilot initiated a flare approximately 20 to 30 feet above the runway surface. The certified flight instructor (CFI) noted that the airplane was too high and instructed the pilot to lower the nose. The pilot did not respond to the instruction. Before the CFI could take corrective action, the airplane made contact with the runway with excessive force on the main landing gear, causing it to bounce back into the air.

Instructor's Decision and Subsequent Maneuvers

The CFI decided to observe whether the pilot could regain control of the airplane and therefore chose not to intervene immediately. The pilot then advanced the throttle to full power and pulled back on the control yoke until the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. At that point, the CFI assumed control of the flight controls and pushed forward on the yoke with both hands.

Collision and Runway Excursion

During these efforts, the left wing of the airplane struck the ground, leading the CFI to abort the go-around. The airplane then touched down hard on the runway a second time, causing the collapse of both the right main landing gear and the nose landing gear. The aircraft subsequently departed the left side of the runway and came to rest in an adjacent grass field.

Damage

The hard touchdowns resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear and the nose landing gear. No other damage was specified in the report.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20010803X01592. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.