Mooney M20E accident near Dowling, Michigan, May 15, 2017
On May 15, 2017 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1966 Mooney M20E, registered N9265M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Dowling, Michigan (Private 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
Innacurate airspeed indications due to contamination of the pitot-static system with insect remains, which resulted in a high approach and landing speed and subsequent runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2017 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dowling, Michigan · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E, built 1966 · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9265M · registry record · serial 1208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that, during the flight, the airspeed indicator displayed a lower than normal airspeed. The pilot landed the airplane at an intermediate airport to drop off a passenger, then continued to his home airport, a privately-owned, 2,000-ft-long turf runway. During the first attempted landing, the airplane would not "settle," and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the second landing, the airplane floated again, consistent with a higher-than-indicated airspeed, and the pilot "forced" the airplane onto the runway. The airplane porpoised and continued off the runway, hitting trees, a fence, and a pole, resulting in substantial damage. During postaccident examination, the remains of an insect were found in the pitot tube. A functional test of the airspeed indicator revealed no anomalies. It is likely that the inaccurate airspeed indications were due to the contamination of the pitot static system, which subsequently resulted in a high approach and landing speed and subsequent runway overrun.
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
- Flight instrument malf/fail during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Pitot/static system › Related operating info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Related operating info
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,723 hours in all; 3,552 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 10.6 in the last 30 days; 3,523 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,224.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-A1A (piston); 470 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI
- Destination: Dowling MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,000 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BTL, 10 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17LA184.