Mooney M20M accident near Clearwater, Florida, March 18, 2012
On March 18, 2012 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N9140M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Air Park 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 extend the landing gear before landing due to his distraction regarding another airplane in the traffic pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2012 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9140M · registry record · serial 27-0083
- 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, after entering the traffic pattern for landing, he noted that there were two other airplanes in the traffic pattern. As he announced his position on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he heard another pilot also announce his position at the same location. The accident pilot visually identified the other airplane, and that pilot reported that he would proceed behind the accident airplane to the runway. The accident pilot stated that he became preoccupied with locating the other airplane during the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and forgot to lower the landing gear. During touchdown, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a stop, which resulted in substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with 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
- 506900 during 506
- 551090 during descent - normal
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 8,841 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,960 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, May 11, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: CLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 16, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°C, dew point 52°C
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PIE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9140M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA12CA244.