Mooney M20C accident near Broomfield, Colorado, March 6, 1998
On March 6, 1998 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N5653Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jefferson County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to extend the landing gear before landing. A factor relating to the accident was: his attention being diverted, when his daughter got air sick.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1998 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jefferson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5653Q · no longer on the register · serial 3025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a local area personal flight, the pilot's daughter got air sick as they were in the local traffic pattern performing touch-and-go landings. The pilot was attempting to find her an air sickness bag and forgot to lower the landing gear. He did not hear the landing gear warning horn with his head set on.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,777 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1996; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 7,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from BJC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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.