Mooney M20J N115MS

Summary

On 1 April 2009 at about 22:50 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N115MS was involved in an accident near Salem, Indiana, United States. One person was 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 April 2009 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Salem Municipal Airport (I83)

Coordinates

38.6019, -86.1400

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N115MS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salem → Salem

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CEN09CA244

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to follow the landing checklist and extended the landing gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was practicing takeoff and landings when he extended the landing gear and heard the landing gear motor start while the airplane was on the downwind leg to the runway. The pilot noticed that the landing gear was not down during the landing flare. The airplane touched down on the runway with the landing gear retracted, and the airplane skidded about 500 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane received substantial damage when the airplane's firewall and underside skin were damaged. During the airplane's recovery, the landing gear control handle was placed into the down position and the landing gear extended when the master switch was placed into the on position. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.