Mooney M20D N6919U

Summary

On 11 September 2016 at about 15:38 local time, a Mooney M20D registered N6919U was involved in an accident near Brodhead, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 2016 at 15:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Brodhead, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Brodhead (C37)

Coordinates

42.5917, -89.3750

Aircraft

Mooney M20D

Registration

N6919U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brodhead → Mio

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16CA383

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's loss of airplane control during initial climb due to an excessively nose-high attitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to properly set the elevator trim before takeoff in accordance with the Before Takeoff checklist.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot arrived to a turf strip to attend a fly-in event on the day of the accident. During departure, the pilot stated he applied full aft yoke during the takeoff roll and lifted off with a nose high attitude. Soon after takeoff, the airplane banked left and descended into a cornfield, which damaged the firewall. The pilot attributed his nose high attitude immediately after takeoff to an improper nose up trim setting, as he had not set the airplane's elevator trim to the takeoff position in accordance with the before takeoff checklist. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.