19980311006969I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20K · Lafayette, LA · March 11, 1998

Date: March 11, 1998 · 19:56 local
Place: Lafayette, LA
Airport: Lafayette Regional
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3556H
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA98IA044
Reported as: Mooney M20K
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total300 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N3556HRegistered now · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0421 · Built 1980 Airframe modelMooney M20K Engine modelContinental TSIO-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.

Narrative: aircraft lost power at FL240 OAT - 27 degree c. started descent and obtained vectors from ATC to klamath. Engine lost all power. Unable to make airport landed in field, right landing torn from aircraft nose gear folded and prop damage. Pilot indicated he had previously drained fuel with water contamination. But had drained fuel until clear samples. Counseled airman on procedures for contaminated fuel.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AT FL240 OAT - 27 DEGREE C. STARTED DESCENT AND OBTAINED VECTORS FROM ATC TO KLAMATH. ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. UNABLE TO MAKE AIRPORT LANDED IN FIELD, RIGHT LANDING TORN FROM AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR FOLDED AND PROP DAMAGE. PILOT INDICATED HE HAD PREVIOUSLY DRAINED FUEL WITH WATER CONTAMINATION. BUT HAD DRAINED FUEL UNTIL CLEAR SAMPLES. COUNSELED AIRMAN ON PROCEDURES FOR CONTAMINATED FUEL.

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 SEA98IA044Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportKlamath Falls, ORThe pilot's inadequate preflight which failed to detect water contaminated fuel that subsequently led to fuel icing at altitude, blockage of fuel lines which resulted in fuel starvation. A related factor was the dark night conditions.Mar 12, 1998 · Minor damage