Don't make the same mistake I did

[RobertE]

This is a cautionary tale. 

 

After 1,600 hours and 1,850 landings I ran my M20J off the runway into a field this weekend.  Had the field not been muddy, well, only my ego would have been bruised.  But when I had slowed to a few miles per hour there was enough weight on the nosewheel that it buried itself in the mud, which produced a prop strike.  No engine stoppage but, of course, that doesn't matter.

 

I decided at the last moment to land at the airport and, so, used my speed brakes to descend (I hate using those things because it seems like such inefficient, ill-planned flying and, so, almost never deploy them) and was so focused on dumping them before really setting up for a long straight in approach that I forgot about those things called flaps (my routine is to deploy the first notch at 1K AGL).  Rather than toggling the flap button I punched the speed brake button, so at least I did something at 1K!! I was higher and faster than I should have been for a 2,500 runway but, hey, the sight picture was one I'd seen before and handled without any trouble.  But, of course, that picture was formed from landings with full flaps, probably with something of a headwind (on this day it was calm with, perhaps, a slight tailwind) and with an aircraft probably 400 pounds heavier than was the case yesterday. 

 

This experience has also caused me to realize how thoroughly I've disregarded the advice we all read from time to time, which is to be "primed" for a go round.  In those 1850 landings I can only recall 4 go rounds.  That means I've saved a lot of landings I shouldn't have.  Which gave me the confidence I could save this one.  The only thing I've been "primed" to do is land.

 

So no more.  Good enough isn't.  If there isn't enough margin to handle the mistakes I may have made, then I'm going around.  Of course, to be sure this gets etched into my brain, I've now got a couple of months to stew on those mistakes.  The good news is I'm awfully lucky to have had this experience at a flat, sea level airport rather than, say, Sedona.

 

If there are any of you out there who may have mimicked my bad behavior, well, please consider the possible consequences. 

[carusoam]

Robert,

I am a masters student of distraction...

You have given a new example of a distraction at work.

An ordinary distraction can lead to gear up incidences. Yours seems to have been the action of deploying speed breaks in place of full flaps. Similar in feel, but completely different aerodynamics...

Thanks for sharing.

The brain tends to substitute things under pressure, often in an unappropriate way.

Back to the checklist discussion.

Best regards,

-a-

[rbridges]

sorry for what happened, but thanks for the reality check.

[John Pleisse]

Hang in there Robert. Just a ding....git 'r fixed and move on. With your level of introspect, you'll remain a great pilot.

[gregwatts]

This is a cautionary tale. 

 

After 1,600 hours and 1,850 landings I ran my M20J off the runway into a field this weekend.  Had the field not been muddy, well, only my ego would have been bruised.  But when I had slowed to a few miles per hour there was enough weight on the nosewheel that it buried itself in the mud, which produced a prop strike.  No engine stoppage but, of course, that doesn't matter.

 

I decided at the last moment to land at the airport and, so, used my speed brakes to descend (I hate using those things because it seems like such inefficient, ill-planned flying and, so, almost never deploy them) and was so focused on dumping them before really setting up for a long straight in approach that I forgot about those things called flaps (my routine is to deploy the first notch at 1K AGL).  Rather than toggling the flap button I punched the speed brake button, so at least I did something at 1K!! I was higher and faster than I should have been for a 2,500 runway but, hey, the sight picture was one I'd seen before and handled without any trouble.  But, of course, that picture was formed from landings with full flaps, probably with something of a headwind (on this day it was calm with, perhaps, a slight tailwind) and with an aircraft probably 400 pounds heavier than was the case yesterday. 

 

This experience has also caused me to realize how thoroughly I've disregarded the advice we all read from time to time, which is to be "primed" for a go round.  In those 1850 landings I can only recall 4 go rounds.  That means I've saved a lot of landings I shouldn't have.  Which gave me the confidence I could save this one.  The only thing I've been "primed" to do is land.

 

So no more.  Good enough isn't.  If there isn't enough margin to handle the mistakes I may have made, then I'm going around.  Of course, to be sure this gets etched into my brain, I've now got a couple of months to stew on those mistakes.  The good news is I'm awfully lucky to have had this experience at a flat, sea level airport rather than, say, Sedona.

 

If there are any of you out there who may have mimicked my bad behavior, well, please consider the possible consequences. 

 

This is a classic case of getting "behind the airplane". It happens to every one of us at some time. Don't beat yourself up over it! You have decided to "man up" and own the situation......which many never do.....and that is a respectable move! It could have been worse and most likely, you will be a better pilot in the future because of it! Good Luck and get back in the air!

[Seth]

Robert-

 

Thank you for having the guts to share this story with all of us.  I'm glad you are safe and the plane will indeed fly another day (after a bit of work).  This will be a lesson for everyone.

 

I hope your Mooney is back in the air soon.

Good job keeping the plane upright despite the mud.

 

-Seth

[Oscar Avalle]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Indeed we have to approach each landing with the respect it deserves...

[Alan Fox]

And that is why we have insurance , They will take care of the expense , and a wounded ego will heal.....We all make mistakes , most of us walk away from them...In the grand scheme of Aviation , it was a cheap lesson ....Hope things get taken care of quickly.....Regards....

[aviatoreb]

Thank you Robert for sharing your experience with us.

[fantom]

Thought provoking write-up, Robert. Can happen to ANYone of us. Thanks!

 

Hope you get your bird back, better than it was before.

[thinwing]

thanks for the cautionary tale....we have all been there

[mooneygirl]

Robert, it takes a brave person to admit and learn from their mistakes.  We all get distracted and maybe we all too think "I can save this".  The happy news is all can be repaired, and you have a learning/growing experience.

Thank you for sharing.

[M016576]

I'm sorry to hear that this happened and don't mean to throw spears from the cheap seats, but did you give any consideration to shutting off the motor prior to leaving the prepared surface?

[RobertE]

I'm sorry to hear that this happened and don't mean to throw spears from the cheap seats, but did you give any consideration to shutting off the motor prior to leaving the prepared surface?

 

That's certainly a fair question but, no.  That would have been smart.  I was even dumber because I THINK I may have lightly applied the brakes when I had nearly come to a stop. So let that be a lesson, too.  Even in the most apparently benign circumstances (rolling slowly over what is believed to be level, solid ground), don't touch those brakes. 

 

My emotions went in about 5 seconds from "I can't believe I'm about to overrun the runway" to "boy, this is humiliating but will turn out OK" to "did I just hear the prop hit?". 

[Ksaunders]

The Mooney is one delicate machine.  We love the "go fast" and it really feels strange hovering in on final at 85 kts and knowing you even have a little more to go to really impress those passengers with yet another perfect landing.  

 

Not so long ago training for my private with my most favorite instructor I took a 172 in too fast on a long runway.  With speed too high, my inexperience told me to counter with more forward yoke.......It was a strange feeling to hear all three of those tires bark 2,700 feet down a 5,000 foot concrete patch of heaven.  Full extension on the toe brakes and a little excitement later, we had that 172 at a full screeching halt in no time.  I'll never forget the look on CFII - Mr. Matthew Perrer's face when he turned to me shaking his head and said, "That was a text book example of why God invented the Go Around".  That was all he ever said and I'll NEVER forget it.  

 

Our planes are truly remarkable when you consider all they do and honestly how simple our check lists are in comparison to some.  The constant stream runs through my brain while behind the wheel..........Checklists save lives and manage your speeds.        

[Lowbid]

Last Sunday afternoon, I was landing at Madison, WI. I have owned my C model for almost one year. On approach, they gave me a choice of runway, and I chose 21. I was entering their airspace from the NW. After I was cleared for landing, the tower told me to not dilly-dally and get on the ground because a regional jet was behind me. This was after they vectored me to final due to landing traffic. I was a little high and pushed the nose down to get on the ground. Upon landing, they told me to exit stage left at the first taxiway...no way was I going to make it. They then told me to exit at the next intersection on a runway leading to the apron. As I skidded my airplane to make the taxiway I was more than a little preturbed that I was forced to rush my landing. In retrospect, I should have gone around. The PILOT is responsible for his aircraft, not the oontrollers. I will never again let allow them to rush my landing. I am responsible for my safety and a safe landing. If I should have ended up in the snow off the runway, it would have been only myself and the insurance company to deal with it. Unlikely the controllers would have been involved in the negotiations, which is fine, but the PILOT is responsible for his circumstances....NOBODY else.

[M016576]

Well said. Nothing wrong with saying "unable" if it's borderline, or you feel like its a rushed or bad idea!

[fantom]

Well said. Nothing wrong with saying "unable" if it's borderline, or you feel like its a rushed or bad idea!

Exactly....the tower screwed up the spacing and then put the burden on you. UNABLE isn't used enough. Glad you dodged that bullet.

[wishboneash]

Well said. Nothing wrong with saying "unable" if it's borderline, or you feel like its a rushed or bad idea!

Unable. This is not a Cessna 152!

[AmigOne]

Last Monday I flew a friend to NW Pa to get a Cub, cold day and for some reason I put carb heat for landing, something I never do.  Checklist from memory, backtracking on the active runway (no taxiway) used whatever attention I had left and of course I took off with the carb heat on.  Nothing happened but is this kind of distraction that can harm you someday.  I'm aiming for the perfect flight but as the years go by it gets more and more elusive.

[carusoam]

There is a relationship between distractions and the use of checklists.....

Best regards,

-a-

[carusoam]

There is a relationship between distraction avoidance and the use of checklists.....and flat out forgetting as well...

Best regards,

-a-

[rocketman]

I decided at the last moment to land at the airport and, so, used my speed brakes to descend (I hate using those things because it seems like such inefficient, ill-planned flying and, so, almost never deploy them)

 

I don't think other people use the speed brakes like I do but on my Rocket and 201, I deploy them from the time I descend to after landing - avoids shock cooling, allows power on descents, shortens landing roll (or so it appears), and eliminates one more thing I need to do on short final. 

[jetdriven]

, I deploy them from the time I descend to after landing - avoids shock cooling, allows power on descents, shortens landing roll (or so it appears), and eliminates one more thing I need to do on short final. 

 

Shock cooling is a myth. If they are 475 when you pull the power off to idle, maybe thats a problem but the problem is the 475 CHT, not the rapid cooling.   Ring flutter is not, however, so avoid operations at high IAS below 15" of manifold pressure.

 

Skydive planes and glider planes routinely make TBO, and they have a hot Vy climb at maximum power to 12,000  (or 2000) feet, then a power off descent. I even knew a guy who used a Queen Air with the GO-430 geared engines, and he was at TBO running well.

[Awful_Charlie]

Shock cooling is a myth. If they are 475 when you pull the power off to idle, maybe thats a problem but the problem is the 475 CHT, not the rapid cooling.   Ring flutter is not, however, so avoid operations at high IAS below 15" of manifold pressure.

 

Skydive planes and glider planes routinely make TBO, and they have a hot Vy climb at maximum power to 12,000  (or 2000) feet, then a power off descent. I even knew a guy who used a Queen Air with the GO-430 geared engines, and he was at TBO running well.

 

Not sure where you got than from.  Lasham gliding club got through 28 cylinders in 4 years, and then revised their operating procedures to avoid shock cooling - see pages 28 and 29 of  http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0118/6842/files/Tug_manual.pdf?263 for the revised operating method and some of the reasoning