Pilot Debrief

MOONEY M20E near Gurdon, AR — 2012-12-05

Final reportCEN13LA095
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Date
2012-12-05
Location
Gurdon, AR, USA
Aircraft
MOONEY M20E
Registration
N9493V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because no mechanical engine malfunctions were identified and because the actual fuel load and distribution at the time of the accident could not be determined.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, about 30 minutes into the cross-country flight, the airplane's engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot stated that the airplane had departed with 35 to 40 gallons of fuel onboard, and, therefore, that sufficient fuel was remaining when the engine lost partial power. The engine subsequently lost total power when the airplane was about 1,500 feet mean sea level, and the pilot did not have time to troubleshoot the problem before having to shift his focus to identifying a suitable landing area. He completed a forced landing on a nearby road, but, during the landing roll, the left wing contacted a bush, which caused the airplane to depart the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. A postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's actual fuel load and distribution at the time of accident could not be determined because the airplane was recovered from the accident site before local or federal authorities were notified of the accident. Therefore, it could not be determined whether the airplane experienced fuel starvation/exhaustion during the accident flight.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not turn on the electric fuel pump during engine power loss attempt.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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