Mooney M20J N201FD

Summary

On 6 July 2009 at about 20:46 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N201FD, operated by Michael Hartman, was involved in an incident near Midland, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 July 2009 at 20:46

Classification

Incident

Location

Midland, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Midland Airpark (KMDD)

Coordinates

32.0364, -102.1008

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N201FD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Michael Hartman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Angelo → Midland

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09IA416

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to ensure the airplane was properly configured, which resulted in a wheels-up landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on May 20, 2010** The private pilot stated that following an uneventful approach to land, the airplane's landing gear collapsed after touchdown. The pilot reported that he heard the main landing gear tires "squeak" onto the runway, after which he lowered the nose and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to a stop. The pilot exited the airplane and put out a fire that had started. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained minor damage. An examination of the airplane showed the propeller tips curled, and scrapes on the inboard edges of the flaps. Longitudinal-running scrapes were observed on the Fiberglass belly pan. The inner portions of the main gear doors and both nose gear doors also showed longitudinal scrapes indicative of the gear doors being closed when the airplane made contact with the runway surface. An examination of the runway showed a series of single, narrow metal scrapes, proceeding down the runway, which were consistent with an underbelly antennae making contact. This was followed by a single long and wider scrape, consistent with the airplane’s underbelly making contact, which proceeded down and to the left side of the runway to the runway’s left edge. Further on-scene examination of the airplane showed that the landing gear extension handle was in the up (retracted) position. The flap extension handle was also in the up (retracted) position. During follow on testing, the landing gear was successfully extended. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane, and the pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the landing gear prior to the accident. In his written statement, the pilot reported that prior to leaving the airplane, he went back inside, raised the flaps and placed the landing gear handle in the retracted position, and then turned off the power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.