CEN12LA198

Factual narrative

On March 23, 2012, at 2100 eastern daylight time, N201QB, a Mooney M20J airplane, was substantially damaged when it collided with an embankment during an aborted landing on runway 18 at Shawnee Airport (1I3), Bloomfield, Indiana. The commercial pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was co-registered to and operated by the pilot. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Sullivan County Airport (SIV), Sullivan, Indiana, about 2040, and destined for 1I3. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the repositioning flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated that he made four attempts to land on the 2,160-foot-long by 150-foot-wide, sod strip equipped with non-standard runway edge lights. On the fourth attempt, he landed the airplane, but said the brakes did not seem to be working because the airplane was not slowing down. The pilot attempted to abort the landing and subsequently impacted a levy south of the runway. The passenger told the FAA inspector that they approached the airport as it was getting dark outside. The pilot made three (not four as reported by the pilot) attempts to land, but each time he kept turning onto the base leg too early, which resulted in a higher than normal final approach. On the first attempt, the pilot touched down, but elected to abort the landing. On the second attempt, the airplane touched down with less than 200 feet of runway remaining, so the pilot applied power and went around again. On the third landing attempt, the airplane touched down with approximately 400 feet of runway remaining. The pilot "slammed" on the brakes, and the airplane began to slide. When the airplane went off the runway, the pilot applied full power and the nose of the airplane pitched up. The main landing gear wheels crossed over a dirt road separating the runway and a plowed field, and momentarily became airborne. The passenger said he saw the stall warning light illuminated, but could not recall hearing the stall horn. The airplane stalled and impacted with a creek bank. An on-scene examination of the airplane was conducted by two FAA inspectors. According to an inspector,the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and the fuselage. The runway and surrounding area appeared to be wet/soft from recent rainfall. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight and ground instructor ratings. His last FAA Third Class medical was issued on July 25, 2011. At that time, he reported a total of 1,300 flight hours. Weather at Monroe County Airport (BMG), Bloomfield, Indiana, approximately 19 miles east of the accident site, at 2053, was reported as wind calm, visibility 10 miles, clouds broken at 3,700 feet, overcast clouds at 4,600 feet, temperature 15 degrees Celsius, dewpoint 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.80 inches of Mercury. Remarks at that time were for distant lightning northeast and southeast of the airport. The pilot was attempting to land on a lighted grass runway at night. His first two attempts to land were aborted. According to the passenger, the pilot landed the airplane on his third attempt with only 400 feet of available runway remaining and then “slammed” on the brakes, and the airplane began to slide. After the airplane exited the runway end, the pilot applied full power to abort the landing; however, the airplane only became momentarily airborne before it stalled and collided with a levy. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C