Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary FTW97LA357

BROOMFIELD, CO, USA

Aircraft #1

N9140Z

Mooney M20M

Analysis

The pilot said his landing approach speed was between 80 and 90 knots, and he used full flaps before deploying the speed brakes. The airplane landed hard and bounced twice. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane stalled, landed on the nose gear, and veered off the runway. According to the Mooney Aircraft Corporation, normal approach speed with full flaps (33 degrees) deployed is 75 knots. The speed brakes may also be deployed during the landing approach.

Factual Information

On September 20, 1997, at 1053 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N9140Z, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Broomfield, Colorado. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 0845 central daylight time. The following is based on a telephone interview with the pilot, and his accident report. The pilot said his approach speed was between 80 and 90 knots and he used full flaps, then deployed the speed brake. "Ground effect floated us to the point that airspeed was too slow," he wrote. The airplane landed approximately 2,500 feet down runway 11L. The pilot said the airplane "bounced on the main gear two times." The pilot applied full power to abort the landing. The airplane stalled, landed on the nose gear, and veered left off the runway at taxiway A-13 before coming to a halt facing south. According to a Mooney Aircraft Company spokesman, normal approach speed is 80 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed) with 10 degrees flaps deployed, and 75 KIAS with 33 degrees (full) flaps deployed. The spokesman said the airplane is equipped with "speed brakes," not "spoilers," and may be deployed during the landing approach.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's flaring of the airplane prematurely at a low airspeed that resulted in a hard landing, and an inadvertent stall during the attempted go-around and subsequent loss of control.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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