Salem Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salem, Indiana 47167
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 18:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was practicing takeoff and landings when he extended the landing gear and heard the landing gear motor start while the airplane was on the downwind leg to the runway. The pilot noticed that the landing gear was not down during the landing flare. The airplane touched down on the runway with the landing gear retracted, and the airplane skidded about 500 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane received substantial damage when the airplane's firewall and underside skin were damaged. During the airplane's recovery, the landing gear control handle was placed into the down position and the landing gear extended when the master switch was placed into the on position. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to follow the landing checklist and extended the landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Salem
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47167
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383607N
Event Location Longitude 0860824w
Event Location Airport Salem Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID I83
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 822
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25400
NTSB Notification Source IND FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 4 2009 3:38PM
User who most recently changed record galm
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115MS
NTSB Number CEN09CA244
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 24-0031
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3366
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Caren Schamel
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Washington
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47167
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Salem
Operator State IN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 47167
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 I83
Departure City Salem
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code I83
Destination City Salem
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2009 10:37AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 2738
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --