Mooney M20K N231VM

Summary

On 14 February 2020 at about 21:35 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231VM was involved in an accident near Minden, Nevada, 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

14 February 2020 at 21:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Minden, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Minden-Tahoe (MEV)

Coordinates

38.9983, -119.7522

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231VM

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minden → Minden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA102

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to complete a before landing checklist, which resulted in his delayed extension of the landing gear, and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while on downwind to land, he partially completed a checklist and did not verify the landing gear position. He added that, while on final approach and about 20 ft above ground level, a pilot waiting to take off told him over the radio that the landing gear were not down. The pilot immediately extended the landing gear and applied full power and back pressure on the control yoke. The airplane stalled and subsequently landed hard, and the nose landing gear separated. The airplane veered off the runway, struck a runway sign, and then came to rest upright. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot 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.