History of Flight
On July 4, 2008, about 1148 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M-20M, registration N17RA, impacted terrain while attempting a go-around at Kelly Airpark (CO15), seven miles west of Elbert, Colorado. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under Part 91 with a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado, and was terminating at the time of the accident.
The pilot and passenger had departed the accident location earlier to fuel the airplane at Centennial. After purchasing 71 gallons of fuel, they departed for Las Vegas, Nevada, but returned to CO15 one hour later due to turbulence. During the first visual approach, the pilot initiated a go-around when another airplane flew in front of him on final. During the second approach, the airplane's nose dropped, striking the nose gear on the runway and bouncing on touchdown. The pilot applied power for a go-around, began a positive rate of climb, and retracted the flaps to the first setting per the Pilot Operating Handbook. He noticed the airplane sinking and pushed the throttle to the firewall, but the engine did not respond properly. The airplane settled back to the ground, striking the tail and landing left of the departure end of the runway. It traveled several hundred feet before stopping on its belly. The pilot estimated the gross weight at 2,980 pounds.
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane at slow speed with a nose-high attitude, adding power and mushing down. Another witness noted a very nose-high attitude with gear extended, and a third witness, who saw the initial takeoff, said the airplane did not sound as strong as other 300 hp airplanes on the field and seemed slow and steep on the go-around.
Examination revealed bending of two fuselage bulkhead structures on the underside of the tail and upward bending of the forward section of the left horizontal stabilizer.
Personnel Information
The 59-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. His last FAA second-class medical was issued June 13, 2007, with the limitation that he must possess glasses for near vision. He reported 274 total flight hours, with 39 hours in the accident make and model, 15 hours in the last 90 days, and 11 in the last 30 days. His last flight review was February 21, 2008.
Aircraft Information
The 1999 Mooney M-20M, N17RA, serial number 27-0282, was a low-wing, semi-monocoque airplane with retractable landing gear, configured for four occupants. It was powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-AF1A engine, rated at 310 horsepower, driving a three-bladed McCauley controllable-pitch propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed November 16, 2008, with an airframe total time of 1013.8 hours. At the accident, the airframe had about 1076 hours, with 62 hours since the last inspection. The engine had similar times.
Meteorological Information
At 1153, the weather at Monument Hill, Colorado, reported wind from 050 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 4,000 feet, temperature 81°F, dew point 34°F, barometric pressure 30.26 inches of mercury, and a density altitude of 9,674 feet.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was about 700 feet northwest of the north end of runway 35. The airplane was intact except for both main landing wheels, which separated and traveled several hundred feet north. The nose gear was collapsed, and the airplane rested on its belly. The left horizontal stabilizer was bent upward approximately six inches from the outboard edge, and a bulkhead below its forward edge was bent. The main landing gear were broken off, the nose gear folded under, and the three propeller blades had chord-wise scratches, leading edge gouging, and bending.
The initial impact point was 99 feet west of the runway on the last taxiway at the north end. Tire marks from both main tires and a two-foot-long, two-inch-wide gouge were found. The tire tracks continued northwest then north, crossing the parallel taxiway twice. The tire marks ended 78 feet before the wreckage, and a belly-sized swath continued in the dirt to the final resting point.
The fuel selector was in the BOTH position, and fuel was visible in both wings, with less fuel in the left wing. A small fuel leak was noted from the left main wheel well. The fuel filter screen had no contaminants, and the turbocharger turned freely.
Test and Research
Three days after the accident, the airplane was moved to the owner's hangar. Investigators replaced the damaged propeller and performed a partial-power engine run with the aircraft strapped to a flatbed trailer. The engine started and ran to approximately half power; safety concerns prevented a full-power run. No anomalies were noted.
The engine was later removed by the insurance company and taken to Western Skyways, Inc. for a prop-strike inspection. The engine was disassembled and inspected, including accessories. No anomalies were found that would have caused a sudden loss of power.