Freeway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mitchellville, Maryland 20717
Monday, July 23, 2001 17:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While landing, the pilot began to flare the airplane about 20-30 feet above the runway. The CFI informed the pilot that they were too high and he should lower the nose; however, the pilot did not respond. Before the CFI could take corrective action, the airplane touched down hard on the main landing gear, and bounced back into the air. Deciding that she wanted to see if the pilot could regain control of the airplane, the CFI elected not to take corrective action. The pilot added full power and pulled back on the yoke until the airplane entered a stall. The CFI assumed the flight controls and pushed forward on the control yoke with both hands. The left wing of the airplane then struck the ground, and the CFI aborted the go-around. The airplane touched down hard on the runway again, collapsing the right main and nose landing gear, departed the left side of the runway, and came to rest in a grass field.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing, and her delay in remedial action. A factor related to the accident was the excessive trim setting.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Mitchellville
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20717
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Freeway Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W00
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 168
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID ADW
Elevation of weather observation facility 280
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11761
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2002 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-07 Baltimore

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4223H
NTSB Number NYC01LA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0668
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Jun 25 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 1850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Malcom W. Houston
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Potamac
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20854
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ESN
Departure City Easton
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code W00
Destination City Mitchellville
Destination State MD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2002 9:48AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2425
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --