Accident Overview
On February 14, 2015, at approximately 0800 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20E, registration N11LV, was substantially damaged during a landing gear collapse on the takeoff roll at Meadows Field (BFL) in Bakersfield, California. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the proposed personal cross-country flight, which was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed but was not activated at the time of the accident. The flight was originating from BFL and intended to proceed to Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, California.
Pilot Statement
According to a statement submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll at about 60 miles per hour, he felt the left main wheel roll over a recessed, flush-mounted flasher light, which was part of the airport's Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR). The pilot stated that the airplane seemed to sway slightly to the left as it crossed the light, and immediately thereafter both main landing gear retracted. The engine continued to run at full power while the nose landing gear remained extended. As the pilot reached for the mixture control to shut down the engine, the nose gear collapsed. After the propeller struck the ground, the airplane slid down the runway for several hundred feet before coming to rest upright to the left of the runway centerline.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane's landing gear system was performed by a licensed Federal Aviation Administration airframe and powerplant mechanic. The examination failed to reveal any anomalies with the landing gear system that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, inspection of both main tires showed no evidence of balding, nicks, or other damage that might have been attributed to either tire impacting the recessed lighting during the takeoff roll. The findings are detailed in the Landing Gear Examination Report appended to the accident docket.