On July 1, 2007, a Mooney M20R (registration N321MD) was involved in an aviation accident near Mitchellville, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point for landing and his failure to initiate a go-around when he realized the airplane would touchdown past the intended point. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported a runway excursion at Freeway Airport in Mitchellville, Maryland, after a fast landing and an engine that did not fully idle. The pilot acknowledged that a go-around should have been initiated.
Incident Overview
During a landing at Freeway Airport (Mitchellville, Maryland), the aircraft departed the runway after touchdown. The pilot later recounted the events to an NTSB investigator.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that the approach was flown on the glide path at approximately 85 knots. Earlier, the manifold pressure gauge had become erratic and could not be used for accurate indications. The manifold control was pushed fully forward for the remainder of the approach. The landing touchdown occurred about one-third down the runway, and the pilot described it as feeling "a tad fast." Halfway down the runway, the pilot realized the engine was not reducing to idle completely. By two-thirds of the runway, he considered a go-around but ruled it out due to the aircraft's slow speed and the height needed to clear tree lines. He applied full brakes but could not stop before running off the runway. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and that he should have initiated a go-around.
Runway Details
Runway 18/36 at Freeway Airport has a published length of 2,420 feet and a width of 40 feet.