38.1436° N, 122.5571° WPlaced by OpenAirDocs at GNOSS FLD (DVO), within about a mile.Open in the map
Date
October 20, 1979 · 15:30 local
Place
Novato, CA
Airport
Gnoss
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N5268P
Reported as
Mooney M20K
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
4,000 total300 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine quit soon after rotation, probably from water in fuel. Pilot had drained water, ran-up for 30 minutes.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE QUIT SOON AFTER ROTATION, PROBABLY FROM WATER IN FUEL. PILOT HAD DRAINED WATER, RAN-UP FOR 30 MINUTES.