Mooney M20E accident near Hollywood, Maryland, August 19, 2022
On August 19, 2022 at about 9:01 pm local time, a 1964 Mooney M20E, registered N7154U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hollywood, Maryland (St Mary'S County 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
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2022 · about 9:01 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Maryland · St Mary'S County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E, built 1964 · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N7154U · no longer on the register · serial 393
- 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, while entering the airport’s traffic pattern to land on runway 11, he started the before landing checklist procedure but did not lower the landing gear because the airspeed was too fast. Then, on the final leg of the traffic pattern, he was focusing on maintaining a slip in the crosswind and he did not extend the landing gear. The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Around the time of the accident, the wind was reported from 140° at 9 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 746 hours in all; 435.8 in this make and model; 35.8 in the last 90 days; 5.6 in the last 30 days; 628 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,626 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Walls Of Time INC
The flight
- Departed from: W48 Essex MD at 8:29 pm
- Destination: IXA Halifax NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,150 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 28,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from NHK, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KNHK 192052Z 14009KT 10SM FEW048 FEW120 BKN280 30/19 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP184 T03000189 58006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 13, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Observations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigate Photographs | PDF, 4 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.