# Accident 19980807028969A: Mooney M20A, Marathon, FL, August 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 1998, 11:03 local time
- Place: Marathon, FL
- Airport: Marathon Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 24.7090° N, 81.0798° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.7090&lon=-81.0798&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8385E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8385E-2002-09-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20A (registry code 5870204, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20A
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 850 total, 250 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA105) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980807028969A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH, THE ENGINE QUIT. WHEN THE RUNWAY COULD NOT BE REACHED, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO A SHALLOW BAY ADJACENT TO THE FLIGHT PATH, TO AVOID OBSTACLES. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND EXAMINED. DURING THE EXAMINATION, THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM WAS FOUND PERFORATED, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO BE DUMPED OVERBOARD, DURING FLIGHT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED DURING THE LAST ENGINE OVERHAUL. THE PILOT INDICATED IN HIS REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT THAT HE AND HIS PASSENGER HAD SMELLED FUEL AT ONE POINT DURING THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. SINCE THE ODOR DID NOT PERSIST, THE FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED. (-23) N8385E LEFT WARNER ROBBINS, GEORGIA DIRECT MARATHON, FLORIDA. THE MOONEY N8385E EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION 1/2 MILE FROM MARATHON AIRPORT, WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT, AND SERIOUS INJURIES TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. AFTER INVESTIGATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT A RUPTURED DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL PUMP WAS THE CAUSE OF EXCESS FUEL USED IN FLIGHT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA105), Aug 7, 1998: Mooney M20A (N8385E), Marathon, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate inspection of the fuel pump during the last engine overhaul, that subsequently resulted in a worn diaphragm, fuel venting overboard, and loss of engine power from fuel exhaustion…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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