Mooney M20F accident near Dowling, Michigan, May 11, 2014
On May 11, 2014 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1967 Mooney M20F, registered N343ED, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Dowling, Michigan. 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 failure to maintain control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2014 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dowling, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F NO SERIES, built 1967 · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N343ED · registry record · serial 680006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the farm strip was aligned on a heading of approximately 090/270 and was 2,400 feet long. He was approaching from the west. As he cleared the obstacles he noticed he was descending faster than normal. He pulled the throttles to idle to land and was almost on the ground when he felt something like a wind shear. The pilot added power but as he got closer to the ground, the wind pushed the airplane toward the north side of the runway to the edge of the landing strip. As the airplane veered off the strip the wingtip collided with brush and the nose wheel broke. The pilot believed the airplane's wheels were on the ground at the time of the wind shear indicated by skid marks going sideways off the landing strip surface. The pilot obtained weather from WK Kellogg Airport (BTL) in Battle Creek, Michigan while enroute at approximately 1455. Prevailing winds were reported as 230 degrees at 10 knots. BTL reported prevailing winds from 220 degrees at 5 knots at 1753.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,581 hours in all; 3,421 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 7, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,642 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER (piston); 351 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I34 Greensburg IN at 5:50 am
- Destination: Dowling MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KBTL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 17, 2014. 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 Accident Report 6120 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | 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.