Mooney M20J incident near Midland, Texas, July 6, 2009
On July 6, 2009 at about 8:46 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201FD, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing near Midland, Texas (Midland Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to ensure the airplane was properly configured, which resulted in a wheels-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2009 · about 8:46 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland Airpark · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201FD · registry record · serial 240168
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on May 20, 2010** The private pilot stated that following an uneventful approach to land, the airplane's landing gear collapsed after touchdown. The pilot reported that he heard the main landing gear tires "squeak" onto the runway, after which he lowered the nose and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to a stop. The pilot exited the airplane and put out a fire that had started. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained minor damage. An examination of the airplane showed the propeller tips curled, and scrapes on the inboard edges of the flaps. Longitudinal-running scrapes were observed on the Fiberglass belly pan. The inner portions of the main gear doors and both nose gear doors also showed longitudinal scrapes indicative of the gear doors being closed when the airplane made contact with the runway surface. An examination of the runway showed a series of single, narrow metal scrapes, proceeding down the runway, which were consistent with an underbelly antennae making contact. This was followed by a single long and wider scrape, consistent with the airplane’s underbelly making contact, which proceeded down and to the left side of the runway to the runway’s left edge. Further on-scene examination of the airplane showed that the landing gear extension handle was in the up (retracted) position. The flap extension handle was also in the up (retracted) position. During follow on testing, the landing gear was successfully extended. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane, and the pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the landing gear prior to the accident. In his written statement, the pilot reported that prior to leaving the airplane, he went back inside, raised the flaps and placed the landing gear handle in the retracted position, and then turned off the power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,444 hours in all; 1,231 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,444 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,808 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KSJT San Angelo TX at 7:50 pm
- Destination: KMDD Midland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,977 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:44 pm from KMDD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N201FD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.