San Carlos Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Carlos, California 94070
Wednesday, September 27, 2000 18:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot's first landing approach to the runway was too high and he performed a go-around. The second approach to the same runway was also too high and the aircraft touched down and began porpoising. After two bounces the pilot attempted to abort the landing; however, the aircraft drifted off the runway to the left and the left wing struck a hangar in the northwest corner of the airport. The aircraft came to rest between two rows of hangars. The pilot reported that he attempted the landing abort after several bounces by placing 'the power to full, verified mixture rich, and placed the wing flaps in the 10 [degree] position.' He said the plane began to veer to the left of the runway and, although he applied right rudder and right aileron, the drift to the left continued. The stall warning horn never sounded prior to the left wingtip hitting the hangar. The pilot also reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/27/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN CARLOS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94070
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SAN CARLOS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SQL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1822 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SQL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 63
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 54
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10143
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 27 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68FM
NTSB Number LAX00LA352
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20S
Aircraft Series Identifier M20S
Aircraft Serial Number 30-0031
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 4 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 90
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES CERNA
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City REDWOOD SHORES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94065
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PRC
Departure City PRESCOTT
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SQL
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2001 3:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --