Mooney M20K N9514R

Summary

On 20 May 2021 at about 13:30 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N9514R was involved in an accident near Dawson, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 2021 at 13:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Dawson, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

31.7714, -84.5067

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N9514R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Apopka → Birmingham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA222

2 people were seriously injured.

Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the No. 4 connecting rod bolt nut with a cotter pin, resulting in a total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while en route to the destination airport, the airplane lost total engine power. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control and began to divert to the nearest airport. The pilot recognized that the airplane would not be able to glide to the airport, and he decided to land on a road with the landing gear and flaps retracted. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. A postaccident teardown examination of the engine revealed that the No. 4 connecting rod was fractured midspan. One of the No. 4 connecting rod bolt nuts was found in the oil pan and exhibited no signs of pre- or postaccident damage. The cotter pin for that nut was not found; the other No. 4 connecting rod nut was found secured to its bolt with the cotter pin installed. Additionally, all other connecting rod bolt nuts remained attached to their respective bolts with cotter pins in place. Thus, it is likely that the nut found in the oil pan was not secured with a cotter pin and that the unsecured No. 4 connecting rod bolt nut became loose over time and backed out of the connecting rod bolt during the accident flight, resulting in the total loss of engine power. Review of maintenance records revealed that the engine had accumulated about 1,240 hours of operation since major overhaul, which was completed more than 28 years before the accident. The engine manufacturer recommended that the engine be overhauled every 2,000 hours or 12 calendar years, whichever occurred first. The investigation could not determine when the No. 4 connecting rod nut was installed without a cotter pin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.