Plane Crash List

Mooney M20K N231KF

16 March 1992 · St. Augustine, Florida, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 16 March 1992 at about 00:34 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231KF, operated by Garofalo, Joseph JR., was involved in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:34
Classification
Accident
Location
St. Augustine, Florida, United States
Coordinates
29.8901, -81.3107
Aircraft
Mooney M20K
Registration
N231KF
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Garofalo, Joseph JR.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Kinston → Kissimmee
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
MIA92LA098

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 0 0 4

Probable cause

THE SEPARATION OF THE SWAGE BETWEEN THE THROTTLE OUTER HOUSING AND THROTTLE CABLE RESULTING IN LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE ENGINE REDUCING TO IDLE POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PLT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 4,000 FEET THE ENGINE REDUCED TO IDLE POWER OVER A 30 SECOND PERIOD. MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL HAD NO EFFECT ON ENGINE POWER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE REACHED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN A SWAMP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT INDICATED THE THROTTLE CABLE OUTER HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE THROTTLE CONTROL AT A POINT IT IS SWAGED. THIS ALLOWED THE INNER CONTROL CABLE TO FLEX AND NOT MOVE THE THROTTLE ARM. THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Mooney M20K accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Sep 1992 Mooney M20K
N99693
Weston, West Virginia, United States T and S Rentals Fatal 2
16 Feb 1992 Mooney M20K
N231NR
Wheeling, West Virginia, United States David B. & Elisabeth Fraser Fatal 1
6 Jun 1992 Mooney M20K
N5772C
Stanley, Idaho, United States Horsley, George H. No injuries -
29 Nov 1992 Mooney M20K
N231JU
Orange, Virginia, United States Rouben Yedigarian No injuries -
3 Jul 1992 Mooney M20K
N231FW
Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, United States Baldwin, Mark Fatal 1
15 Oct 1991 Mooney M20K
N3947H
Knox, Indiana, United States Northern Harvest Furniture, Inc No injuries -

All 197 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Feb 1992 Cessna 150M
N9286U
Stuart, Florida, United States Flight Training International No injuries -
9 Feb 1992 Burch ROTORWAY EXEC
N618VN
Lakeland, Florida, United States Ronald W.case No injuries -
9 Feb 1992 Piper PA-32-260
N56982
Kissimmee, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Perman, William No injuries -
10 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-161
N20974
New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States
no coordinates
ACS, Inc. No injuries -
21 Feb 1992 Cessna 172N
N738YY
Orlando, Florida, United States Flight Express, Inc. No injuries -
8 Feb 1992 Cessna 152
N46021
Perry, Florida, United States Comair Aviation Academy No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States