Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K accident near Farmville, Virginia, September 18, 2009
On September 18, 2009 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K, registered N999DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Farmville, Virginia (Farmdale 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2009 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Farmville, Virginia · Farmdale Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney Aircraft CORP. M20K
- Registration
- N999DJ · registry record · serial 25-0145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot the airplane was rolling out after landing on runway 21, and the engine surged. When it surged, the pilot had already applied left rudder, as he was "anticipating the left turn onto the taxiway." The airplane then exited the runway, onto sod, went through a Visual Approach Slope Indicator stanchion, and continued in a left turn "through the taxiway" until it impacted a hedge row. Examination of the airplane after the accident, including the throttle, propeller and mixture linkage, as well as the turbocharger, revealed no mechanical anomalies. In addition, the throttle valve would have had to be manually opened to increase power from the engine. Specific pilot actions during the rollout are not known; however, the "taxiway" which he had anticipated turning on was actually a teardrop-shaped turnabout, approximately 1,200 feet from the runway threshold and 1,700 feet prior to the actual taxiway. Winds, reported by the pilot, were from 210 degrees true at 3 knots.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,504 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,298 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2009; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-LB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDN Enterprise AL at 6:48 pm
- Destination: FVX Farmville VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from FVX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA09LA528.