philiplane Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 (edited) A Bravo was geared up in Monroe WI on 11/28, another in Jamestown NY on 10/17. An M20F gear collapsed on landing in Hoquiam WA on 11/25, an M20J nose gear collapsed on 10/24 in Philadelphia PA. And a Mooney Mustang geared up on October 31st, in Pinehurst NC. We're on a roll....or maybe just scraping by... Edited December 3 by philiplane 1 2 2
TangoTango Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 Isn't the engine in the Mustang pretty rare? I'd hate to prop strike one
Bolter Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 My first thought was the guy restoring one on YouTube, but that is N7722V I could not find a record of the incident, but this Mustang was in Pinehurst, NC, N96MM, and is likley the one https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N96MM
LANCECASPER Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 33 minutes ago, TangoTango said: Isn't the engine in the Mustang pretty rare? I'd hate to prop strike one Lycoming TIO-541-A1A I believe
AndreiC Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 What the hell happened at KEFT (Monroe) around that date? Not only was there that gear up, but there was also a TBM 700 that crashed on missed approach killing two on Nov 24... Weather has been very shitty the last two weeks, but that should not really explain these two incidents.
dkkim73 Posted December 3 Report Posted December 3 5 hours ago, philiplane said: We're on a roll....or maybe just scraping by... I saw what you did there.
cliffy Posted Thursday at 05:03 AM Report Posted Thursday at 05:03 AM We kill'm faster than we build them And the clan grows smaller each and every day. One day in the future the last Mooney will die. Crashes aside, how many Mooneys are sitting rotting away at airports all around the country? Mooneys that will never fly again
Ragsf15e Posted Thursday at 04:21 PM Report Posted Thursday at 04:21 PM On 12/3/2025 at 7:44 AM, philiplane said: A Bravo was geared up in Monroe WI on 11/28, another in Jamestown NY on 10/17. An M20F gear collapsed on landing in Hoquiam WA on 11/25, an M20J nose gear collapsed on 10/24 in Philadelphia PA. And a Mooney Mustang geared up on October 31st, in Pinehurst NC. We're on a roll....or maybe just scraping by... The “collapse” ones scare me. That shouldn’t be able to happen should it? I guess a worn down lock block on a Johnson bar maybe? Really hard landing? Especially when it’s just 1 gear collapse. That shouldn’t happen, but it does somehow? There was one (maybe a Bravo?) at KSFF that had the left main collapse (it was a transient from ~Seattle maybe). No prop strike! Needed new flaps, gear rods, and a few other things but he got it flying again. How does that happen? Poorly rigged gear?
Igor_U Posted Thursday at 04:39 PM Report Posted Thursday at 04:39 PM 12 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said: The “collapse” ones scare me. That shouldn’t be able to happen should it? I guess a worn down lock block on a Johnson bar maybe? Really hard landing? Especially when it’s just 1 gear collapse. That shouldn’t happen, but it does somehow? There was one (maybe a Bravo?) at KSFF that had the left main collapse (it was a transient from ~Seattle maybe). No prop strike! Needed new flaps, gear rods, and a few other things but he got it flying again. How does that happen? Poorly rigged gear? Well, it can happen for sure. While all three gears are mechanically interconnected. Tube assemblies can get damaged and bent, perhaps due to miss ringing the gear system and side loading during the landing. IIRC, Bravo at KSFF had a left tube assy bent that way and it failed, perhaps bent at previous landing(s) as the pilot reported landing as normal, then the LHS leg just collapsed. BTW, it took a year to completely repair the plane. Crazy!
Ragsf15e Posted Thursday at 05:09 PM Report Posted Thursday at 05:09 PM 29 minutes ago, Igor_U said: Well, it can happen for sure. While all three gears are mechanically interconnected. Tube assemblies can get damaged and bent, perhaps due to miss ringing the gear system and side loading during the landing. IIRC, Bravo at KSFF had a left tube assy bent that way and it failed, perhaps bent at previous landing(s) as the pilot reported landing as normal, then the LHS leg just collapsed. BTW, it took a year to completely repair the plane. Crazy! Yeah I saw it sitting in the shop for a long time waiting on new flaps from Mooney!
PT20J Posted Thursday at 06:09 PM Report Posted Thursday at 06:09 PM The Mooney landing gear locks down with over center linkages. This means that any force applied to a wheel in the direction of retraction will just lock it down harder. But, any force applied in the opposite direction (for example, towing from the nose wheel, or the main gear on the outside of a turn or swerve) will tend to straighten the over center linkage. The gear still cannot fold up because the linkage prevents that, but it is important that the linkage returns to the over center position when the load is removed or it can fold. The bungees are there to ensure that the linkage snaps back over center when the load is removed. If the bungees are rigged too loose, I suppose it is possible for a gear to fold up if the conditions are just right.
toto Posted Friday at 12:52 AM Report Posted Friday at 12:52 AM 8 hours ago, Ragsf15e said: The “collapse” ones scare me. That shouldn’t be able to happen should it? I guess a worn down lock block on a Johnson bar maybe? Really hard landing? Especially when it’s just 1 gear collapse. That shouldn’t happen, but it does somehow? There was one (maybe a Bravo?) at KSFF that had the left main collapse (it was a transient from ~Seattle maybe). No prop strike! Needed new flaps, gear rods, and a few other things but he got it flying again. How does that happen? Poorly rigged gear? I always assume that 90% of the “collapse” incidents are pilots throwing the gear lever after they hear the belly scraping and then swearing that the gear just collapsed without warning. 4
philiplane Posted Friday at 02:59 AM Author Report Posted Friday at 02:59 AM On 12/3/2025 at 11:09 AM, TangoTango said: Isn't the engine in the Mustang pretty rare? I'd hate to prop strike one The Mustang engine is the same series used in the Baron 56TC, the Beech Duke, and the Piper Pressurized Navajo. Many parts are unobtanium. 1
201er Posted Friday at 01:57 PM Report Posted Friday at 01:57 PM On 12/4/2025 at 12:03 AM, cliffy said: Crashes aside, how many Mooneys are sitting rotting away at airports all around the country? Alan Fox knows. He's the one that cuts them up. 2
Echo Posted Friday at 03:56 PM Report Posted Friday at 03:56 PM Cue Blue Oyster Cult. Keep that parts network stocked. There is a Dukes gear system on Ebay for a mere $4100...
MooneyMitch Posted Saturday at 02:43 PM Report Posted Saturday at 02:43 PM On 12/5/2025 at 5:57 AM, 201er said: Alan Fox knows. He's the one that cuts them up. Pure evil!!!!
1980Mooney Posted Saturday at 03:58 PM Report Posted Saturday at 03:58 PM On 12/5/2025 at 7:57 AM, 201er said: Alan Fox knows. He's the one that cuts them up. 17 hours ago, MikeOH said: WOW! That was painful to watch Just love how they let the entire tail section fall on the ground without even trying to hold or lower it - hey what's a little more damage or dents among friends?! And they are so incredibly efficient at engine removal - Absolutely Brilliant. Why bother to unbolt the engine mount frame when you can JUST CUT IT?! A lot went into the trash dumpster....
takair Posted Saturday at 05:06 PM Report Posted Saturday at 05:06 PM I suspect my beer cans have some Mooney DNA.
Fly Boomer Posted Saturday at 05:06 PM Report Posted Saturday at 05:06 PM 1 hour ago, 1980Mooney said: A lot went into the trash dumpster.... Alan runs a business.
00-Negative Posted Saturday at 05:25 PM Report Posted Saturday at 05:25 PM The $3k salvage M20E I bought 6 months ago is getting more valuable by the day.
MooneyMitch Posted Saturday at 05:26 PM Report Posted Saturday at 05:26 PM 17 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said: Alan runs a business. So does a mortician ! 2 2
Hank Posted Sunday at 12:54 AM Report Posted Sunday at 12:54 AM 7 hours ago, Fly Boomer said: Alan runs a business. 7 hours ago, MooneyMitch said: So does a mortician ! And we are all better for both groups! 2
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