Mooney M20J accident near Warsaw, Indiana, January 27, 2013
On January 27, 2013 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5763H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Warsaw, Indiana (Warsaw Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around maneuver. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s complacency flying the airplane and his lack of training on bounced landing recovery procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2013 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Warsaw, Indiana · Warsaw Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5763H · no longer on the register · serial 24-1469
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while approaching the airport for landing, he entered a left downwind leg for the traffic pattern and then “allowed” the wind to push the airplane too close to the runway, which he overshot on final approach. The airplane was not aligned with the runway when it “hit the ground hard and bounced.” The airplane began to porpoise and bounced several more times as it departed the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted a go-around; however, he never regained control of the airplane. The right wingtip impacted an airport fuel storage facility about 350 feet left of the runway, and the airplane came to rest upright about 50 feet from the initial impact. Significant fuel spilled, but no postimpact fire ensued. The impact resulted in the collapse of the landing gear and substantial damage to the engine mount, firewall, fuselage, and both wings. The pilot reported that he had become complacent after flying this airplane for 6 years, that he was unprepared for the violent bouncing from the hard landing, and that he should have had better training to prepare him for the stress, confusion, and surprise that resulted. The pilot also reported no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- Landing gear collapse during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Complacency › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,079 hours in all; 482 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,006 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 2012; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D95 Lapeer MI at 2:55 pm
- Destination: ASW Warsaw IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 4,012 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KASW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on March 20, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.