Mooney M20 Safety Record

THE SEPARATION OF THE SWAGE BETWEEN THE THROTTLE OUTER HOUSING AND THROTTLE CABLE RESULTING IN LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE ENGINE REDUCING TO IDLE POWER.

THE PILOTS IN COMMAND OF BOTH AIRCRAFT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VIGILANCE AND SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER RESULTING IN A MIDAIR COLLISION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOCAL CONTROLLERS FAILURE TO ISSUE TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND HIS IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR PROPER RECOVERY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AIRFRAME ICE.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT DESCENDING BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE AND NOT PERFORMING THE BRIEFED MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE ALONG WITH THE DARK NIGHT, FOG, DRIZZLE, AND LOW CEILING.

FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER GLIDEPATH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS THE FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE SNOW SHOWER IN PROGRESS AT THE TIME.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE POWERLINE TOWER STRUCTURE WHILE EXECUTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF PROPER RADIO EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO EXECUTE THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND NIGHT CONDITIONS.

THE OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE #2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE LANDING AND GO-AROUND (ABORTED LANDING). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE.

ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING FROM THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN FLYING SPEED, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT, AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO MAKE THE TAKEOFF UNDER THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC AND THEREAFTER HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DELAYED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, DISORIENTATION AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS AND RAIN, AND TO HIS LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED DURING A LANDING APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SPIN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE BY THE PILOT.

THE INADEQUATE PREPARATION OF THE PROPELLER DURING OVERHAUL. THE INSTALLATION OF AN IMPROPER PITCHED PROPELLER AND THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER BLADE EMANATING FROM CORROSION WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON TAKEOFF CLIMB IN A TURN RESULTING IN AN INADVERTNENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A CROSSWIND WITH GUSTS.

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE (RUNWAY REMAINING) AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND/OR HIS FAILURE TO GO-AROUND WHEN THERE WAS STILL SUFFICIENT SPEED TO DO SO.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.