NTSB Factual Report

On August 11, 2004, at 0945 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20J, N201AM, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an in-flight collision with terrain during an aborted landing from runway 27 (5,001 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the Huntington Municipal Airport (HHG), Huntington, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his flight instructor were not injured. The local flight departed HHG at 0830.

According to the pilot's written statement, he was obtaining flight instruction to satisfy the biennial flight review requirements of regulation 14 CFR Part 61.56. The pilot stated that the surface winds were from the west-southwest at seven knots. The pilot reported that he was practicing an engine-out landing procedure to runway 27 when the accident occurred.

The pilot stated that during the landing flare the airplane "experienced a slight balloon" and as the airplane continued to decelerate/settle it drifted to the right side of the runway. As the pilot began to abort the landing the airplane contacted the right side of the runway, with the nose angled off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that he increased engine power which increased engine torque. The increase engine torque caused the airplane's heading to change from the west-northwest to the southwest. The pilot reported the airplane experienced a "slight bounce... touching again briefly on the south edge of the runway."

The pilot stated that "a positive rate of climb was established in level flight, adequate to clear the treeline along the south side of the runway. As we cleared the treetops, the [airplane] was pushed down and slipped to the right, re-orienting it to the northwest back towards the runway. As we attempted to reestablish level flight, the plane slipped left, touching down approximately 50 feet south of the runway." The pilot reported that the nose gear collapsed and that the airplane came to rest facing north.

According to the flight instructor's written statement, the winds were from the west at about 10 knots, as indicated by a wind sock located positioned at the center of the airport.

The flight instructor reported that the simulated force landing approach was "normal" and that the airplane was situated over the runway centerline when it crossed over the runway threshold. The flight instructor stated that the airplane "ballooned slightly" during the landing flare and that the pilot "corrected for it." The flight instructor reported that "as the flare continued, the aircraft ballooned and climbed out of ground effect, continuing to drift northwest in a southwest crosswind, very close to the north edge of the runway." The flight instructor told the pilot to perform a go-around because the aircraft was drifting and because of its proximity to a dry retention pond positioned north of the runway.

The flight instructor stated that "the aircraft's stall horn sounded, [and the airplane] began to sink back to the runway as full [engine] power was applied and takeoff flaps were verified." The flight instructor reported that the airplane continued "sinking out of the ballooned flare" and touched down on the northern edge of the runway. The flight instructor stated that the airplane then transitioned to the left and briefly contacted the southern edge of the runway before the pilot established a positive climb away from the runway.

The flight instructor reported that the airplane climbed to treetop level (20-30 feet agl) and encountered "wind shear that turned the airplane's nose sideways to the right." The flight instructor stated that the airplane began descending, "pushed by the wind." The flight instructor reported she "tried to coordinate the airplane to reestablish the climb ... [but] there was inadequate time and altitude to accomplish this." The flight instructor stated the airplane touched down south of the runway, "slightly nose up ... and bounced several times while it slid sideways." The aircraft came to rest about 40 feet south of the runway.

The closest weather reporting station to the accident site was located at the Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), Fort Wayne, Indiana, about 14 nautical miles (nm) northeast of HHG. The airport is equipped with an Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) that recorded the following weather conditions:

At 0954 cdt: Wind 250 degrees true at 11 knots, visibility unrestricted at 10 statute miles (sm), a few clouds at 2,100 feet above ground level (agl) and broken ceilings at 4,100 and 25,000 feet agl, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting 29.93 inches-of-mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate flare and unsuccessful recovery from a bounced landing, and the pilot's and flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control and airspeed during the subsequent aborted landing, which resulted in a stall. A factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.