Skip to content

Atlas / NTSB / CHI91LA278

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event CHI91LA278

1991-09-20 SUGAR GROVE, Illinois, United States Airport · ARR None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N300RA

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

MOONEY M20M

Year of manufacture

1993

Engine

LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20000420

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A320CA

Registrant of record

SHARPER MEDIA LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE BUCKLED NOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENSION GEAR DRIVE TUBE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT HAVING THE LANDING GEAR INSPECTED AT THE INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Factual narrative

A COMMERCIAL PILOT SELECTED GEAR DOWN FOR A PRACTICE LANDING, AND THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE MAIN GEAR AND SHUTDOWN ENGINES ON FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE NOSE FELL TO THE PAVEMENT. THE PROPELLERS STRUCK PAVEMENT AT FLIGHT PITCH. A GEAR DRIVE TUBE WAS FOUND BUCKLED IN COMPRESSION. THE LANDING GEAR HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91LA278.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.