Mooney M20J N201BS

Summary

On 26 August 2018 at about 18:15 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N201BS was involved in an accident near Rochester, New Hampshire, United States. 3 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

26 August 2018 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Rochester, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Skyhaven (DAW)

Coordinates

43.2847, -70.9300

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N201BS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rochester → Rochester

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA511

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot-rated owner reported that he was allowing another pilot to build time in his airplane to qualify for the airplane's insurance. During the accident flight, the pilot occupied the left seat, and the owner occupied the right seat. During takeoff after a touch-and-go landing, the pilot rotated a bit early, and the airplane settled back onto the runway. He aborted the takeoff, applied heavy braking, and the airplane fishtailed and then veered left. The owner took the flight controls, but the airplane exited left of the runway and impacted a ditch. The pilot reported that, during the familiarization flight to practice touch-and-go landings, on the second takeoff, he aborted the takeoff because he realized that he did not have enough runway available. He applied heavy braking, and the airplane veered left into a swamp. The owner added that he was sitting in the right seat and that the right seat position does not have brakes. He believed that his "inexperience at controlling the airplane from the right seat" also contributed to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The owner reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.