Accident Mooney M20F N2920L,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36254
 
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Date:Sunday 17 May 1992
Time:12:25 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic M20P model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Mooney M20F
Owner/operator:Fischer, Richard C. & Verril J
Registration: N2920L
MSN: 670314
Engine model:Lycoming IO-360-A1A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Glendive, MT -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:(KGDV)
Destination airport:Minot, ND (KMOT)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT OF THE MOONEY M20F RETRACTED HIS LANDING GEAR ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TIRES LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY. HE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHILE FLYING VERY LOW OVER THE AIRFIELD, AND THEN EXECUTED A STEEP RIGHT HAND 180 DEGREE TURNING PULL-UP. NUMEROUS PILOT-RATED WITNESSES STATED THAT DURING THIS PULL-UP THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE FLYING JUST ON THE EDGE OF A STALL. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE APPROACH END OF THE AIRFIELD, ENTERED A DESCENDING TURN AND THEN EXECUTED A HIGH SPEED, LOW LEVEL PASS. DURING THIS PASS A HELIUM FILLED BALLOON WAS RELEASED FOR THE PILOT TO ATTEMPT TO BURST WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S PROPELLER. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PASS, THE PILOT MADE A RAPID CLIMBING PULL-UP TO THE LEFT, REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE BANK ANGLE AT THE TOP OF THE CLIMBING TURN WAS ESTIMATED BY THE WITNESSES TO BE APPROXIMATELY 50 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED APPROXIMATELY THE SAME ANGLE OF BANK AS IT DESCENDED TOWARD THE TERRAIN, ULTIMATELY IMPACTING NEAR THE RUNWAY.

Probable Cause: AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT, AND THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF AND THE AIRCRAFT.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA92FA101
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year 1 month
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA92FA101

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:22 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 07:13 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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