N147MP

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 30, 2014, about 1735 Pacific daylight time, N147MP, a Mooney M20L, was substantially damaged following an aborted landing at Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the sole passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, departed the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) about 1630, with MYF as its destination.

In a statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that she departed SBD with one passenger en route to MYF, and was using visual flight rules Flight Following. The pilot further reported that about 1735 while landing at MYF, the airplane bounced, at which time she attempted to go around for another landing by adding full power, verifying rotation speed, and noting that the flaps were in the takeoff position. The pilot stated that soon after lifting off she realized that the airplane was not climbing as it normally should, and that the engine didn't seem to be making full power. The pilot reported her situation to the MYF control tower, after which she prepared for an emergency landing by verifying that she had full throttle in, and adequate airspeed. At this time, she turned in the direction of her "bailout" emergency landing site, a shopping complex parking lot. However, the airplane impacted the top of an industrial warehouse building before falling to the ground and coming to rest in a delivery area on the west side of the building.

In a statement provided to the NTSB IIC, a witness, who was also a pilot, reported that he was parked at the intersection of taxiway Golf and taxiway Kilo, when he noticed the accident airplane taking off over the end of Runway 28L. The witness stated the he noticed that it was very low, and that it continued to fly low in a nose-up attitude. The witness further stated that when it crossed over the runway approach lighting, it cleared the lights by a little more than 25 ft, when normally at this point the airplane would have already climbed to at least 500 ft. The witness added that the airplane continued its climb out over Highway 163 in a nose-high attitude, but was not climbing effectively, and that he didn't think it was going to clear the trees in its flight path, which were about 50 to 60 ft high. The witness reported that just prior to reaching the trees, the airplane's nose pitched up abruptly into a very nose-high attitude, increasing the angle of attack from what he would have estimated to have been between 15 to 20 degrees, or something closer to 30 degrees. The airplane quickly climbed up about 100 to 200 feet and cleared the trees, but then stopped climbing, at which point it looked like it had stalled, followed by the left wing dipping. The airplane then began a descent rate of about 200 to 300 ft per minute, while it maintained a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude, and then began to fall towards the southwest. The witness lost sight of the airplane when it went behind a building; a few seconds later he saw smoke rising from behind the building.

Other witnesses observed the airplane take off, make a sharp left turn, and then clip the top of a building before it "flipped down."

A survey of the accident site by the NTSB IIC and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the day following the accident, revealed that the airplane initially impacted a rooftop air-conditioning unit situated atop a retail building, about 28 feet above ground level with its right wing tip. It then proceeded across the rooftop on a measured magnetic heading of 200 degrees for about 40 ft, and then impacted the cinder block perimeter barrier with the forward undercarriage structure. Blue paint transfer signatures were observed on the top portion of the cinder block structure, which were consistent with the paint scheme on the lower forward section of the airplane. Additionally, the airplane's right main landing gear impacted the roof's perimeter barrier; the gear separated, and came to rest in a fenced in area about 25 feet of where the main wreckage came to rest in the delivery parking area on the southwest side of the building. Subsequent to the right main landing gear being separated, the airplane's right wing impacted a 40-foot tall light standard, also located on the southwest side of the building. The airplane then fell to the pavement, and rotated about 150 degrees to the right prior to coming to rest upright on a heading of about 350 degrees. A subsequent fire ensued. All components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site.

The wreckage was recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 52, possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. She reported a total time of 219 hours, with 164 hours in make and model. She also reported that she had completed her most recent flight review on July 24, 2013. Her most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on November 15, 2012, with the limitation, "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision."

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, four seat airplane, with dual flight controls, which was manufactured by Mooney Aviation Company in 1988. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 2,900 pounds. It was powered by a Continental Motors (CMI) IO-550-N-16 reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, fuel injected engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 280 horsepower at sea level. It was equipped with a McCauley three-blade propeller.

A review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was conducted on June 18, 2014, at a total airframe time of 2,555.9 hours, and time on the engine since new was 967.3 hours. Additionally, a top overhaul of the engine was performed on October 9, 2013, at a tachometer time of 2,470.3 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1653, the MYF Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), reported wind 270 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 16 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury.

At 1753, the MYF ASOS reported wind 280 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 15 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in the truck delivery parking area between two retail buildings about 2,250 feet from the departure end of Runway 28L at MYF on a magnetic heading of 265 degrees. The airplane came to rest upright on a northerly heading, with significant impact damage to the right wing, as a result of colliding with a light standard. Fire damage and sooting was confined to the right cabin and cockpit area and the right wing.

The cabin and cockpit sections, although impact damaged, were primarily intact; the right side sustained thermal damage and light sooting. The throttle was observed retarded and the mixture was full rich. A survey of the cockpit instrumentation revealed the Horizontal Situation Indicator read 195 degrees, the Vertical Speed Indicator read plus 120 feet, the altimeter read 220 feet, the right and left fuel indicators read 33 gallons and undetermined respectively, the landing gear handle was positioned in the GEAR DOWN position, the flap switch was in the neutral position, the elevator trim was selected ON, High Boost and Boost Pump switches were off, both left and right control columns were remained connected, and all circuit breakers not tied off were in place. The airplane's Vision Microsystems VM1000 Display Assembly, serial number 94600, was removed from the airplane, and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder division for examination and testing.

The right wing remained attached to the airplane's fuselage at the wing root attach points. The wing was destroyed as a result of severe impact forces with the light standard, as well as thermal activity. The right aileron remained attached to the trailing edge of the wing at each of the three attach points, with fire and impact damage observed. Control continuity from the aileron to the cabin flight control area was confirmed during the postaccident investigation. The right flap, which was observed partially extended, was destroyed by fire and impact damage, with remnants of the component having remained partially attached to the trailing edge of the wing. The right fuel tank was destroyed. The fuel tank's filler cap was observed tightly in place and not compromised.

The airplane's left wing remained attached to the airplane's fuselage at the wing root attach points. The wing had sustained a longitudinal tear from the leading edge of the wing aft to the inboard area of the aileron. Additionally, the upper surface of the wing just forward of the extreme inboard area of the left flap was deformed upward over an area of 18 inches in width and 30 inches in length. The left aileron remained attached to the wing's trailing edge at all attach points, and had sustained only minor damage. Control continuity was confirmed from the aileron to the cockpit control area during the postaccident investigation. The left flap was observed partially extended and attached at all attach points to the trailing edge of its respective wing, and had sustained only minor damage. The left fuel tank was not beached, and the fuel filler cap was found tightly in place and not compromised.

The empennage, with the exception of the outboard one-third of the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator and the inboard top section of the rudder, was observed to have sustained only minor damage. The refere...