Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Helena, Montana
April 25, 2019: Gear up landing.
https://registry.faa.gov/N2926M
Date: 25-APR-19
Time: 17:53:00Z
Regis#: N2926M
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Aircraft Model: M20F
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: HELENA
State: MONTANA
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Location: Helena, MT
Accident Number: WPR13CA355
Date & Time: 08/02/2013, 0940 MDT
Registration: N2926M
Aircraft: MOONEY M20F
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Runway excursion
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was for the pilot-undergoing instruction to perform touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings. During the approach, the airplane was slightly fast and touched down about halfway down the runway. The instructor thought the pilot could still successfully complete a takeoff and monitored him as he retracted the flaps. As the airplane continued down the runway, the instructor decided that the airplane’s climb performance would not be sufficient to clear obstacles at the end of the runway and he opted to abort the takeoff. The instructor retarded the throttle lever to the closed position and told the pilot to apply maximum braking pressure. The airplane subsequently went off the end of runway into a grass field and continued about 100 feet before impacting a chain-link fence. During the accident sequence, the wing spar was substantially damaged.
The airplane’s brake pedals were only accessible to the left-seated person, which is where the pilot was positioned. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally stated that this accident could have been prevented by making a timely decision to go-around when it was apparent that the airplane was going to touchdown further down the runway.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The flight instructor's delayed decision to instruct the pilot to abort the landing which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence.
Findings
Personnel issues
Monitoring other person - Instructor/check pilot (Cause)
Delayed action - Instructor/check pilot (Cause)
Environmental issues
Fence/fence post - Not specified
Factual Information
History of Flight
Takeoff-rejected takeoff
Runway excursion (Defining event)
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor
Age: 54
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Seatbelt, Shoulder harness
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed:
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/12/2012
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 4509 hours (Total, all aircraft), 265 hours (Total, this make and model)
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 35
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Seatbelt, Shoulder harness
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed:
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/27/2010
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 137 hours (Total, all aircraft), 7 hours (Total, this make and model)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Registration: N2926M
Model/Series: M20F
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 22-1282
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: IO360 SER A&C
Registered Owner: Brent Vetter
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held:None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation:
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Light and Variable /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting:
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Helena, MT (HLN)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Helena, MT (HLN)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: MDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Helena Regional Airport (HLN)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 3878 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 34
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2988 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Touch and Go; Traffic Pattern
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 46.606667, -111.982500 (est)
A single-engine airplane practicing landings and takeoffs on Friday at Helena Regional Airport aborted a takeoff and rolled into a fence.
No one was injured in the accident that damaged the perimeter fence around the airport and the airplane, an Mooney M20. The four passenger airplane was placed on a trailer and removed from the accident scene.
Harold Dramstad, of Vetter Aviation who was the instructor on the flight, took responsibility for the accident. He said he was the pilot in charge, and it was his decision that the pilot not attempt a takeoff after having landed.
“It was a judgment call,” Dramstad said, adding there were no mechanical difficulties with the airplane.
The airplane will be repaired and returned to service, he added.
Pilots will practice landings and takeoffs by bringing an airplane down for a landing so the wheels touch the runway and then powering the airplane for a takeoff.
Dramstad did not identify the pilot but said the pilot was in the process of transitioning to a more sophisticated aircraft, the Mooney, which has retractable landing gear.
The incident, which happened shortly before 11 a.m., is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, which is standard procedure.
The landing was too deep into the 2,980-foot runway, which prompted his decision that the pilot not try to takeoff, Dramstad explained.
The airplane rolled about 500 feet from the end of the runway to where it came to rest in the chain-link fencing, said Jeff Wadekamper, the Helena Regional Airport assistant director, who responded to the accident scene along with the airport’s emergency responders.
Responding to incidents such as this are among the activities that airport personnel train for, he said.
Wadekamper and the airport’s fire departments were alerted to the accident by staff in the airport’s control tower that has a phone line dedicated for reporting emergencies.
There are three runways at the airport and the longest of the three is used for commercial traffic, which was not closed or affected by emergency crews responding to the accident, Wadekamper said.
“Nothing was affected,” he added.
Weather at the time of the accident was good and there was a light breeze, he said.
Source: http://helenair.com
HELENA - A small plane ran off the end of a runway at the Helena Regional Airport on Friday, crashing into a fence.
Airport officials report the pilot didn't lift off and ran down a short grassy field at the end of a runway and into the fence.
The pilot was reportedly performing "touch and go" maneuvers at the time.
No one was hurt in the accident.
However, the wing of the plane was dented.
The FAA and the NTSB will be conducting an investigation into the cause.
Jeff Wadekamper, the assistant airport director, said, "The FAA office is located in Helena here for Montana and Idaho. It was a quick response by them to come out here and start the investigation and so once they came out and got an initial look at it and got the information they needed, then they released it to us to start moving the aircraft."
No flights were delayed because the accident occurred on a secondary runway.
