No fatalities

7 Nov 2017: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K NO SERIES — Los Lunas, NM

Los Lunas, NM, United States

On 7 Nov 2017, a MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Los Lunas, NM. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper glidepath during a night approach, which resulted in impact with terrain short of the runway. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a night approach, the pilot realized the airplane was short of the runway, applied power, but the airplane rolled left and impacted the ground, damaging the right wing leading edge.

Incident Overview

According to the pilot, during a night approach, he realized that the airplane was short of the runway and applied power. The airplane then rolled to the left and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the bi-plane that would have precluded normal operation.

Damage Assessment

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the leading edge of the right wing. No other details about damage were provided.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that the airplane was operating normally prior to the event. He did not identify any mechanical issues that could have contributed to the occurrence.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotIncorrect use/operation

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation