Pilot Debrief

MOONEY M20C near East Hampton, NY — 2012-08-26

Final reportERA12LA532
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Date
2012-08-26
Location
East Hampton, NY, USA
Airport
HTO
Aircraft
MOONEY M20C
Registration
N557M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after takeoff, he retracted the landing gear and flaps and that the engine rpm decreased from 2,750 rpm to 2,400 rpm. He verified that the carburetor heat was off and that the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were full forward. He declared an emergency with the control tower controller and turned left in an attempt to land on a closed runway. During the turn, "the engine became quiet," and the airplane collided with trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Review of the FAA carburetor icing probability chart showed that conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to light carburetor icing at cruise and glide power; however, the airplane was operating at a higher power setting. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after engine rpm decrease.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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