Mooney M20J accident near Cedar Key, Florida, April 28, 2017
On April 28, 2017 at about 8:06 pm local time, a 1982 Mooney M20J, registered N1157N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Cedar Key, Florida (George T Lewis 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to follow the manufacturer’s go-around procedure, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2017 · about 8:06 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Key, Florida · George T Lewis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J NO SERIES, built 1982 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N1157N · registry record · serial 24-1288
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he had traveled about halfway down the 2,355 ft-long runway when he realized that a go-around was going to be required. He could not recall the airplane's airspeed when the airplane touched down on the runway that was located steps from the ocean. However, he did recall that he initiated the go-around by applying full throttle, retracting the flaps to 0, and rotating at 62 knots. The airplane "lifted off but did not gain altitude." The pilot lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane stalled and impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook, the go-around procedure is: CAUTION To minimize control wheel forces during go-around, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/or flap retraction. Power…..Full Throttle/2700 RPM Mixture…..Full Rich Airspeed…..65 KIAS Wing Flaps…..Takeoff position after climb established Trim…..Nose Down (to reduce control forces) Airspeed…..Accelerate to 76 KIAS Landing Gear…..-Retract Wing Flaps…..Retract Cowl Flaps…..Open Airspeed…..Accelerate to 86 KIAS The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Configuration › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 108.5 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6.4 in the last 30 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,254.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 464 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCDK Ocala FL at 7:40 pm
- Destination: CDK Cedar Key FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 2,355 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KCGC, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1157N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.