Mooney M20R accident near Lake In The Hills, Illinois, June 4, 2011
On June 4, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20R, registered N5816P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Lake In The Hills, Illinois (Lake In The Hills Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the certified flight instructor’s inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake In The Hills, Illinois · Lake In The Hills Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R · all M20Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5816P · registry record · serial 29-0087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on July 29, 2013. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving flight instruction to become more comfortable operating it. The accident occurred as the pilot performed a simulated forced landing at the end of an instructional flight. The pilot began the landing flare above the region of ground effect and unintentionally induced an aerodynamic stall after his abrupt aft control yoke input. He increased engine power in response to the stall condition, but the airplane landed hard on the main landing gear in a nose-high attitude. The airplane subsequently bounced and began to veer to the left. The pilot and flight instructor were unsuccessful in regaining control. The airplane departed the runway and went down an embankment into a construction site. The fuselage, firewall, and both wings were substantially damaged during the event. A postaccident examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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
- Simulated/training event during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 133 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 24, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 761 hours in all; 648 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 688 as pilot in command; 33 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 21, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G5B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KJVL Janesville WI at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 3CK Lake In The Hills IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,801 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from KDPA, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
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.