Mooney M20E accident near Great Falls, Montana, July 22, 2018
On July 22, 2018 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1964 Mooney M20E, registered N7845V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Great Falls, Montana (Great Falls Intl airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s incorrect use of the landing gear system and his and the pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was extended, which resulted in a gear-up landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s unfamiliarity with the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2018 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Great Falls, Montana · Great Falls Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E No Series, built 1964 · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N7845V · registry record · serial 466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that they were conducting a "familiarization/instructional flight" in the retractable-gear airplane and that this was his first flight with the instructor. After practicing commercial maneuvers, they entered the traffic pattern, and the instructor wanted to acquaint himself with the "Johnson bar"-style landing gear system. The "Johnson bar" (manually operated retraction/extension handle) is pulled up to extend the landing gear and pushed down to retract the landing gear. The instructor then pushed the Johnson bar down in what he thought was the landing gear extended position. The pilot added that, although he twice verified that the landing gear was extended, the airplane landed with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that the flight was briefed as a "familiarization" flight because he was unfamiliar with the airplane. He added that the pilot had time in the airplane, and the intent was for him to become familiar with the performance and limitations of the airplane before he began conducting commercial training for the pilot. He added that he became distracted with the operation of the flaps and did not verify the landing gear position indicator lights located on the left side of the cockpit. He also added that he did not hear the gear warning horn. The pilot and flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Configuration › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300.7 hours in all; 24.3 in this make and model; 36.5 in the last 90 days; 19.7 in the last 30 days; 300.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,485 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,388 as pilot in command; 2,253 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,447.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2A (piston); 2,227 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 2:00 pm
- Destination: GTF Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 10,502 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KGTF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 30, 2018. 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 (Pilot) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (CFI) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Pictures | PDF, 3 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.