Mooney M20 N242TS

Summary

On 9 March 2016 at about 18:10 local time, a Mooney M20 registered N242TS was involved in an accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 March 2016 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Heritage Field (PTW)

Coordinates

40.2394, -75.5567

Aircraft

Mooney M20

Registration

N242TS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1962

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pottstown → Philadelphia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16LA126

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination and a subsequent off-airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident flight was the airplane’s first since its annual inspection, which had just been completed. According to the pilot, because the airplane had just undergone an annual inspection, he completed a thorough preflight inspection, including checking and draining fuel from the fuel sumps. The pilot stated that, after the preflight, he then started the engine and completed two runups before taxiing to the runway for takeoff. According to witnesses and the pilot, the airplane’s takeoff was normal. The pilot reported that everything appeared to be normal until reaching 300 to 400 ft above ground level (agl), when the engine suddenly stopped producing power. A witness reported hearing the engine "cut out" then "surge." The witness also stated that the airplane began a right turn about 300 ft agl and appeared to stop climbing at this point while the turn appeared to become steeper. The pilot stated that he knew he would not be able to safely return to the airport and veered the aircraft to the right to avoid any property or people who might have been straight ahead, aiming for the grassy area just to north side of the runway, where the airplane struck the ground and came to rest. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. However, examination of the fuel system revealed the presence of water in the fuel system and carburetor float bowl, which likely caused the engine power loss. The mechanic who performed the airplane’s most recent annual inspection reported completing several static power engine runups the day before the accident; the engine produced power during each runup, and he did not note any abnormalities. He stated that the airplane had been at the airport for about 2 weeks before the accident flight and was subject to several heavy rain events during that period. He also stated that the airplane had not been refueled since it had arrived at the airport for maintenance. Review of fuel provider records from the location of the airplane’s last known refueling did not reveal any evidence of contamination of the fuel provider’s fuel supply. The owner’s airplane manual stated that the fuel sumps should be drained as part of the preflight inspection. It is likely that the pilot rushed or did not perform the preflight, as water was discovered in the fuel system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.