LAX95LA251

Factual narrative

QcOn July 13, 1995, at 0727 hours Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M-20-M, N200CT, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at Santa Monica, California. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the departure, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The flight was originating as a personal cross-country flight destined for Abilene, Texas. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll on runway 21, he realized that he had no airspeed indication. He chose to abort the takeoff at that point. At the west end of the runway, skid marks indicated that the airplane went sideways and the left landing gear collapsed. The left wing settled to the ground and fuel ignited from the wing fuel vent area. The brief fire burnt into the wing structure. The wing was also damaged from ground contact. The pilot had contracted for repairs to the vacuum/instrument system while at Santa Monica. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, examination of the airspeed plumbing revealed that the plastic pitot tube was not connected at the airspeed indicator. Further examination of the tube failed to reveal a crush imprint from the "B" nut cone. The cone was found on the cockpit floor. An airspeed repair date of January 23, 1995, was affixed to the airspeed instrument case. The pilot stated that the M20 brakes are not adequate to stop a TLS model, near gross weight, down hill with a slight tailwind. He stated that the brakes should have been enlarged with the gross weight increase. He further stated that he now has the double puck brakes and that they are much more effective. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE HAD NO AIRSPEED INDICATION AND CHOSE TO ABORT. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY COLLAPSING A MAIN LANDING GEAR RESULTING IN A FIRE AT THE MID-WING FUEL VENT AREA. THE PILOT HAD CONTRACTED FOR INSTRUMENT REPAIRS IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL JUST PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE PITOT LINE TO THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PULLED OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT WHILE OTHER WORK WAS BEING PREFORMED NEAR IT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12