WPR14FA320

The pilot's failure to achieve climb performance and maintain sufficient airspeed during a go-around, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to retract the landing gear in accordance with the go-around checklist.

The pilot stated that after the airplane bounced on landing, she aborted the landing by adding full power and confirmed that the flaps were in the takeoff position. She further stated that when she realized that the airplane was not climbing normally and that the engine did not seem to be providing full power, she prepared for an emergency landing to a parking lot between two large retail buildings. The airplane impacted a rooftop air conditioning unit on one of the buildings, collided with the roof's perimeter cinderblock barrier, and then fell to the ground.  A witness, who was a pilot, reported that he observed the airplane flying low over the runway in a nose-high attitude, and, when it crossed the departure end of the runway, it was only about 25 ft above the runway approach lighting. The witness stated that he observed the airplane continue to fly low in a nose-high attitude, and he did not think it was going to clear the trees in its flight path. He further stated that just before reaching the trees, the airplane's nose pitched up abruptly into a very nose-high attitude, and the airplane climbed about 100 to 200 ft, cleared the trees, but then stopped climbing. According to the witness, "it looked like it stalled, followed by the left wing dipping." The witness added that the airplane then descended in a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude and went out of sight behind a building. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The landing gear was found extended, which would have resulted in reduced climb performance. The airplane's pilot operating handbook states that the landing gear is to be retracted during a go-around procedure. The airplane's initial nose-high attitude (before the abrupt pitch-up) also likely reduced climb performance. It is likely that the pilot recognized that the airplane was entering an aerodynamic stall during the steep climb over the trees, lowered the nose, gained airspeed, and averted a spin. However, at this point, there was insufficient altitude to fully recover from the stall and stop the airplane's descent before it impacted the building.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 30, 2014, about 1735 Pacific daylight time, N147MP, a Mooney M20L, was substantially damaged following an aborted landing at Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the sole passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, departed the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) about 1630, with MYF as its destination. In a statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that she departed SBD with one passenger en route to MYF, and was using visual flight rules Flight Following. The pilot further reported that about 1735 while landing at MYF, the airplane bounced, at which time she attempted to go around for another landing by adding full power, verifying rotation speed, and noting that the flaps were in the takeoff position. The pilot stated that soon after lifting off she realized that the airplane was not climbing as it normally should, and that the engine didn't seem to be making full power. The pilot reported her situation to the MYF control tower, after which she prepared for an emergency landing by verifying that she had full throttle in, and adequate airspeed. At this time, she turned in the direction of her "bailout" emergency landing site, a shopping complex parking lot. However, the airplane impacted the top of an industrial warehouse building before falling to the ground and coming to rest in a delivery area on the west side of the building. In a statement provided to the NTSB IIC, a witness, who was also a pilot, reported that he was parked at the intersection of taxiway Golf and taxiway Kilo, when he noticed the accident airplane taking off over the end of Runway 28L. The witness stated the he noticed that it was very low, and that it continued to fly low in a nose-up attitude. The witness further stated that when it crossed over the runway approach lighting, it cleared the lights by a little more than 25 ft, when normally at this point the airplane would have already climbed to at least 500 ft. The witness added that the airplane continued its climb out over Highway 163 in a nose-high attitude, but was not climbing effectively, and that he didn't think it was going to clear the trees in its flight path, which were about 50 to 60 ft high. The witness reported that just prior to reaching the trees, the airplane's nose pitched up abruptly into a very nose-high attitude, increasing the angle of attack from what he would have estimated to have been between 15 to 20 degrees, or something closer to 30 degrees. The airplane quickly climbed up about 100 to 200 feet and cleared the trees, but then stopped climbing, at which point it looked like it had stalled, followed by the left wing dipping. The airplane then began a descent rate of about 200 to 300 ft per minute, while it maintained a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude, and then began to fall towards the southwest. The witness lost sight of the airplane when it went behind a building; a few seconds later he saw smoke rising from behind the building. Other witnesses observed the airplane take off, make a sharp left turn, and then clip the top of a building before it "flipped down." A survey of the accident site by the NTSB IIC and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the day following the accident, revealed that the airplane initially impacted a rooftop air-conditioning unit situated atop a retail building, about 28 feet above ground level with its right wing tip. It then proceeded across the rooftop on a measured magnetic heading of 200 degrees for about 40 ft, and then impacted the cinder block perimeter barrier with the forward undercarriage structure. Blue paint transfer signatures were observed on the top portion of the cinder block structure, which were consistent with the paint scheme on the lower forward section of the airplane. Additionally, the airplane's right main landing gear impacted the roof's perimeter barrier; the gear separated, and came to rest in a fenced in area about 25 feet of where the main wreckage came to rest in the delivery parking area on the southwest side of the building. Subsequent to the right main landing gear being separated, the airplane's right wing impacted a 40-foot tall light standard, also located on the southwest side of the building. The airplane then fell to the pavement, and rotated about 150 degrees to the right prior to coming to rest upright on a heading of about 350 degrees. A subsequent fire ensued. All components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site. The wreckage was recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 52, possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. She reported a total time of 219 hours, with 164 hours in make and model. She also reported that she had completed her most recent flight review on July 24, 2013. Her most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on November 15, 2012, with the limitation, "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, four seat airplane, with dual flight controls, which was manufactured by Mooney Aviation Company in 1988. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 2,900 pounds. It was powered by a Continental Motors (CMI) IO-550-N-16 reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, fuel injected engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 280 horsepower at sea level. It was equipped with a McCauley three-blade propeller. A review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was conducted on June 18, 2014, at a total airframe time of 2,555.9 hours, and time on the engine since new was 967.3 hours. Additionally, a top overhaul of the engine was performed on October 9, 2013, at a tachometer time of 2,470.3 hours. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At 1653, the MYF Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), reported wind 270 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 16 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. At 1753, the MYF ASOS reported wind 280 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 15 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage was located in the truck delivery parking area between two retail buildings about 2,250 feet from the departure end of Runway 28L at MYF on a magnetic heading of 265 degrees. The airplane came to rest upright on a northerly heading, with significant impact damage to the right wing, as a result of colliding with a light standard. Fire damage and sooting was confined to the right cabin and cockpit area and the right wing. The cabin and cockpit sections, although impact damaged, were primarily intact; the right side sustained thermal damage and light sooting. The throttle was observed retarded and the mixture was full rich. A survey of the cockpit instrumentation revealed the Horizontal Situation Indicator read 195 degrees, the Vertical Speed Indicator read plus 120 feet, the altimeter read 220 feet, the right and left fuel indicators read 33 gallons and undetermined respectively, the landing gear handle was positioned in the GEAR DOWN position, the flap switch was in the neutral position, the elevator trim was selected ON, High Boost and Boost Pump switches were off, both left and right control columns were remained connected, and all circuit breakers not tied off were in place. The airplane's Vision Microsystems VM1000 Display Assembly, serial