Mooney M20J N1084B

Summary

On 1 July 2003 at about 18:30 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N1084B was involved in an accident near De Lancey, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 July 2003 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

De Lancey, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Bishop Airstrip (NONE)

Coordinates

42.2253, -74.9628

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N1084B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

De Lancey → Dolylestown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA145

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delayed decision to perform an aborted takeoff, which did not allow for sufficient room to stop. A factor was the grass runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot experienced a power loss while en route, and performed a forced landing with no damage into a field that had once been an airport. The airplane was repaired and the pilot prepared for departure. A farmer cut the grass in the field in a 1,500 foot long, by 50 foot wide area for the pilot to use as a runway. An additional 1,600 had recently been cut by the farmer, and it was not re-cut. The pilot reported he attempted a short field takeoff, lifted at 65 to 70 kts, and the airplane did not climb, He settled back, gained more speed and attempted to lift off again. The airplane would not climb, the trees were approaching, and he aborted the takeoff. The airplane struck trees. The on-board passenger reported that the airplane lifted off at 65 kts, nose high, and settled back on the ground, bounced up again, and then the pilot cut the power. A witness said the airplane became airborne in a nose high pitch attitude, settled back to the ground, became airborne again in a nose high pitch attitude. The pilot cut the power and the airplane struck trees. There were no reported problems with the airplane or engine. According to the FAA approved AFM, the airspeed that the pilot reported he used for takeoff were greater than those specified. The field was located in the bottom of a canyon that was about 1,500 feet wide, and would have required the pilot to climb out while remaining below the top of the surrounding terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.