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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 28, 1990 · Mooney M20A · N8118E

Apache Junction, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 28, 1990
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 minor injuries), 1 uninjured
Location
Apache Junction, AZ
Aircraft
Mooney M20A
Tail Number
N8118E
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX90LA197

A Mooney M20 collided with a gravel pit during the landing roll after a forced landing. The pilot made two attempts to complete the flight. The first attempt was aborted due to the mixture control cable breaking. The pilot safety wired the carburetor to the full rich position. When the pilot took off the second time, he had the fuel tank selector switched to a fuel cell with only thirty-five minutes of fuel. The aircraft is equipped with a single fuel quantity gauge which is switchable to read the quantity in only one of the fuel cells. The fuel quantity gauge was switched to read the fuel quantity of the other fuel cell, which contained about one hour of fuel. After about thirty minutes of flight, the engine lost power. The pilot thought the power loss was related to the discrepancy with the mixture control. He did not attempt to switch tanks. The pilot executed an off-airport landing in rough terrain resulting in substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO PROPERLY MANAGE THE AIRCRAFT FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATION AND FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE PROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY SWITCHING FUEL TANKS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY THE PILOT WHICH DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION FROM THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.

Full Narrative

A MOONEY M20 COLLIDED WITH A GRAVEL PIT DURING THE LANDING ROLL AFTER A FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. THE FIRST ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED DUE TO THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE BREAKING. THE PILOT SAFETY WIRED THE CARBURETOR TO THE FULL RICH POSITION. WHEN THE PILOT TOOK OFF THE SECOND TIME HE HAD FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCHED TO A FUEL CELL WITH ONLY THIRTY FIVE MINUTES OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A SINGLE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WHICH IS SWITCHABLE TO READ THE QUANTITY IN ONLY ONE OF THE FUEL CELLS. THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS SWITCHED TO READ THE FUEL QUANTITY OF THE OTHER FUEL CELL, WHICH CONTAINED ABOUT ONE HOUR OF FUEL. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES OF FLIGHT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE POWER LOSS WAS RELATED TO THE DISCREPANCY WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL. HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO SWITCH TANKS. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:42 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMooney M20A
Tail NumberN8118E
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-AIA · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 minor injuries), 1 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor2
Uninjured1
Total3
Crew 1Age 48 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind25° @ 8 kt
Visibility40 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 10000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point41 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data