19980310003179A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20C · White River, SD · March 10, 1998

Date: March 10, 1998 · 13:30 local
Place: White River, SD
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6235U
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI98LA104
Reported as: Mooney M20C
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A1D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 116 total34 in this make and model37 in the last 90 days

N6235URegistration cancelled May 2, 2007 · Mooney M20CS/N 2075 · Built 1962 Airframe modelMooney M20C Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

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.

Enroute on special VFR clearance due restricted visbilty. Engine lost power. (.4)while cruising at 500 to 1,200 feet AGL, the engine began running rough. The pilot adjusted the fuel mixture. Ten minutes later the engine ran rough again at which time the pilot applied carburetor heat. The engine then lost all power. A forced landing was made in a snow covered field. Post accident inspection revealed ice inside the airbox. (-23) flight from rapid city, SD, to sioux city, IA. Weather conditions were 1.75 miles visibility and blowing snow. Private pilot took off with special VFR clearance. One hour and 20 minutes into the flight the engine quit due to carburetor ice. Pilot made an emergency, gear-up landing in 15 inches of snow in a pasture. There was substantial damage to left wing and to engine.

As the FAA filed it

ENROUTE ON SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE DUE RESTRICTED VISBILTY. ENGINE LOST POWER. (.4)WHILE CRUISING AT 500 TO 1,200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE FUEL MIXTURE. TEN MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AGAIN AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. THE ENGINE THEN LOST ALL POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SNOW COVERED FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED ICE INSIDE THE AIRBOX. (-23) FLIGHT FROM RAPID CITY, SD, TO SIOUX CITY, IA. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE 1.75 MILES VISIBILITY AND BLOWING SNOW. PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. ONE HOUR AND 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY, GEAR-UP LANDING IN 15 INCHES OF SNOW IN A PASTURE. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO LEFT WING AND TO ENGINE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI98LA104Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWhite River, SDthe pilot's delay in applying carburetor heat. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude at which the pilot was flying which limited his landing site selections when the loss of power occurred.Mar 10, 1998 · Substantial damage