Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Telluride Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Telluride, Colorado 81435
Thursday, December 23, 2004 15:15 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that during the climb he noticed the tachometer was "reading high and erratic." As he continued to climb, he heard a sharp, piercing, "screeching and chirping noise." The pilot stated that he adjusted the propeller control and was able to "detect an audible reduction in the engine speed"; however, the screeching and chirping noise continued to increase in volume. The pilot elected to return to the airport to land. While on a right downwind leg for runway 09, the pilot extended his landing gear and attempted to extend flaps. The pilot stated that the flaps would not extend. He "slipped the airplane to slow [his airspeed] and descend." On short final, the pilot stated he inadvertently retracted the landing gear but was unaware of his error until the propeller hit the ground during the landing flare. The airplane was substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a bearing had seized inside of the engine tachometer and was producing the squealing and chirping noise. Further examination revealed that moisture had contaminated the hydraulic system and had frozen, preventing the extension of the flaps. No other anomalies with the engine, propeller or other airplane systems were noted. According to the aviation routine weather report (METAR) for TEX, the temperature the day of the accident was 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper in-flight decision making and inadvertent retraction of the landing gear resulting in a wheels up landing. A contributing factor included the pilot's attention being diverted by the seized engine tachometer.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/23/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1515 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Telluride |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81435 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375712N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1075430W |
| Event Location Airport | TELLURIDE REGIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TEX |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 90 |
| Airport Elevation | 9078 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1430 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TEX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9078 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -25 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 8009 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17708 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 23 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1430 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | SLC FAA Flight Standards District Office |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5550Q |
| NTSB Number | DEN05LA043 |
| 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 | M20E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 628 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | Dec 8 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 126 |
| Airframe Hours | 4598.3 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | On File |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | La Jolla |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92037 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TEX |
| Departure City | Telluride |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MYF |
| Destination City | Telluride |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 6870 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |