Takeoff & Initial Climb · NTSB CEN14FA356
MOONEY M20M — Greenwood, IN
| Date | July 11, 2014 |
| Location | Greenwood, IN |
| Aircraft | MOONEY M20M |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Takeoff Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 46 |
| Pilot total time | 435 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 103 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1, 1 serious |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Power plant-(general)-Not specified - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Instructor/check pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
What happened
The private pilot and flight instructor were repositioning the airplane for an annual inspection, and the private pilot planned to receive instrument flight training during the trip. Witnesses reported that the engine sounded good as the airplane taxied to the runway and during the engine run-up. However, several witnesses reported observing blue smoke trailing the airplane at the beginning of the takeoff and hearing the engine "popping" and "misfiring." The airplane was 50 to 100 ft above the ground and about one-quarter of the way down the 5,100-ft-long runway when its nose lowered slightly. Witnesses stated that they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the remaining runway, but the airplane's nose then rose, and the airplane continued climbing. The airplane was described as being slow and "wallowing," with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 ft above the ground. The right wing dropped, and the airplane descended, contacting a garage and two houses before coming to rest in a residential backyard where a postimpact fire ensued. A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and engine components did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.