Mooney M20J N2159D
25 May 2012 · Ozark, Arkansas, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 25 May 2012 at about 20:36 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N2159D was involved in an accident near Ozark, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. 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 20:36
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ozark, Arkansas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ozark Franklin County Airport (7M5)
- Coordinates
- 35.5108, -93.8394
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J
- Registration
- N2159D
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Tulsa → Tunica
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN12LA326
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Probable cause
The failure of a connecting rod due to oil starvation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he noticed a change in engine sound and that he subsequently scanned the engine gauges, which were all within normal operating parameters. Shortly after, the engine rpm began to drop, the pilot heard a "pop" or "bang," and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot attempted to glide the airplane to an alternate airport, but the airplane overshot the runway. The pilot then attempted to land on a nearby road, and the left wing of the airplane struck the ground during the maneuver. Oil streaking was observed on the airplane's exterior. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that no oil was not present in the engine. During disassembly of the engine, the No. 4 connecting rod cap was found fractured, and pieces of the cap were found within the crankcase. Evidence indicated that the No. 4 connecting rod failed due to frictional heating and impact associated with a bearing failure. The Nos. 1 to 3 connecting rods and connecting rod bolts showed varying degrees of heat discoloration, and the evidence of heating in the Nos. 2 and 4 connecting rods indicated that the No. 4 bearing failure was due to lack of oil in the connecting rod bearings. The cause of the oil starvation could not be determined.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20J accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 2012 | Mooney M20J | Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States | John C. Bartholomew | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 May 2012 | Mooney M20J | Sterling, Pennsylvania, United States | Patrick J. Sheridan | Fatal | 2 |
| 31 Aug 2012 | Mooney M20J | Chelan, Washington, United States | Harshman MAX M | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 2012 | Mooney M20J | Butler, Pennsylvania, United States | Brubaker Clifford E | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 2012 | Mooney M20J | Bloomfield, Indiana, United States | Woods Edward | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Jun 2012 | Mooney M20J | Mc Kinnon, Tennessee, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 2012 | Cessna 177B | Lakeview, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Moody-Siple A | Stuttgart, Arkansas, United States | Broadbent E RAY II | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 2012 | Grumman G164 | Higginson, Arkansas, United States | J P Freppon Flying Service, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 1 Dec 2012 | American Champion 8KCAB | Melbourne, Arkansas, United States | Christine Dawe | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 2012 | Mooney M20E | Marked Tree, Arkansas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Dec 2012 | Mooney M20E | Gurdon, Arkansas, United States | Roy Ricketts | No injuries | - |