Mooney M20K N231DW

Summary

On 3 May 2020 at about 15:50 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231DW was involved in an accident near Athens, Georgia, 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

3 May 2020 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Athens, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Athens/Ben Epps (AHN)

Coordinates

33.9486, -83.3258

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231DW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Athens

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20CA171

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the left main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while on approach, he lowered the airplane's landing gear and confirmed that the landing gear was down and locked by observing the panel and floor indicators in the cockpit; however, during the subsequent landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into a ditch. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left wingtip spar was buckled, and the torque tubing associated with the left main landing gear was bent and broken. Review of the logbook records did not reveal any recent maintenance on the landing gear system. Due to the damage of the landing gear assembly, a landing gear retraction test or rigging check could not be performed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.