# Accident 20010206001659A: Mooney M20D, Wilkes Barre Sc, PA, February 6, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 6, 2001, 17:00 local time - Place: Wilkes Barre Sc, PA - Airport: Wilkes-Barre Scranton International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.4804° N, 75.5902° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4804&lon=-75.5902&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1914Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1914Y-2004-06-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Mooney M20D (registry code 5870210, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20d) (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 M20D - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 750 total, 500 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD01LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA033) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010206001659A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-19) ON FEBRUARY 6, 2001, ABOUT 1703 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A MMONEY M20C, N1914Y, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR THE WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON AIRPORT (AVP), WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. INSTRUEMTN METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT FLOYD BENNETT MEMORIAL AIRPORT (GFL), GLEN FALLS, NEW YORK, AT 1528, DESTINED FOR THE SMOKE TOWN AIRPORT (Q08), SMOKE TOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID: "PRIOR TO DEPARTING GFL (1)CALLED BURLINGTON FSS FOR BRIEFING AT 1800Z AND FILED. ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT, PULLED THE AIRPLANE FROM THE HANGAR AND PERFORMED PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION. THEN TAXIED TO FBO FOR "TOP-OFF (19.8 GAL., 100LL) RECHECKED FUEL WITH STRAINER.""DEPARTURE: OBTAINED IFR CLEARANCE. DEPARTED RWY 19 TO THE SOUTH AT 20:28Z AND CONTACTED ALB APPROACH. CLIMB TO FILED ALTITUDE WAS NORMAL. REQUESTED FROM ALB FREQUENCY CHANGE TO GIVE BTV A PIREP ON CLIMB OUT CONDITIONS. PIREP WAS GIVEN AND I ASKED FOR UPDATE TO DESTINATION WX. RESUMED FREQUENCY W/ALB APPCH'. "ENROUTE FLIGHT: PASSED ALB FIX, HANDED OFF TO BOSTON CENTER, THEN TO WILKES-BARRE (AVP) APPCH. REQUESTED 10,000 FEET-GRANTED. REQUESTED FROM LVZ APPCH FREQUENCY CHANGE TO GET UPDATE ON WX FROM FLIGHT WATCH. GAVE PIREP. RESUMED FREQ W/AVP APPCH. CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL W/-5 MILE VISIBILITY AND NO VISIBLE PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO REFERENCE TO GROUND AND WE WERE IN OBVIOUS "LOW DENSITY CLOUDS". "AVP APPCH REQUESTED DESCENT TO 8,000 FT. SET UP FOR NORMAL DESCENT (I.E. REDUCED POWER TO 20 IN HG AND APPLIED FULL CARB HEAT) NOTICED FIRST SLIGHT INDICATION OF 'ROUGH' RUNNING ENGINE. CONTINUED DESCENT TO 8,000 AND AVP APPCH ASKED IF WE WANTED VECTORS AROUND 5 MILE 'CELL' OF PRECIP. ACKNOWLEDGED 'YES'. AT 8,000 FEET, I REQUESTED DESCENT TO 6,000 FEET AND REVISION TO FLGITH PLAN FOR VECTORS DIRECT TO AVP. ADVISED AVP APPCH OF PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. THEY CLEARED ME FOR A LOC APPCH RWY 22. I ADVISED INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THEY CLEARED ME TO 4,000. I REQUESTED SUGGESTION FOR ALTERNATE AIRPORTS-NON AVAILABLE. I ADVISED UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 4,000, THEY CLEARED TO 3,500. WE WERE IMC FROM 10,000. STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AT -3,000. IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR 'DITCH' SITES. I ADVISED AVP APPCH OF IMPENDING DITCH. THROUGHOUT DESCENT WENT THROUGH (MENTALLY) EMERGENCY DESCENT CHECKLIST (I.E. ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, MIXTURE RICH, BOOST PUMP ON, CARB HEAT.) BUT, MOTOR CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. IN THE FINAL MOMENT I LINED UP WITH A HIGHWAY (ROUTE 6) BUT FOCUSED ON -5 ACRE FIELD TO THE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY. LEFT THE GEAR UP AND LINED UP FOR TOUCH DOWN IN WIDEST PORTION OF SITE. AT TIME OF TOUCH DOWN, THE ENGINE WAS NEARLY SILENT W/SLOW ROTATION ON PROP. SKIDDED ON SNOW COVERED AREA FOR -300'. CAME TO REST AGAINST EARTH BERM. TURNED OFF MASTER AND MAGS AND DEPLANED WITH NO INJURIES." IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DESCENT FROM 10,000 FEET, HE NOTED THAT THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE (OAT) WAS -12 DEGREES CELSIUS. THE CABIN HEAT WAS ON, AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HOT AIR ENTERED THE CABIN THROUGH THE AIR DUCT DURING THE FLIGHT. HE DID NOT RECALL IF HOT AIR CONTINUED TO ENTER THE CABIN AS THE ENGINE POWER DIMINISHED. ON THE MOONEY M20C, CARBURETOR HEAT AND CABIN HEAT DRAW HEATED AIR FROM THE SAME SHROUD AROUND THE MUFFLER. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A CARBURETOR ICE DETECTOR INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE. TWO FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION(FAA) INSPECTORS PERFORMED AND ON-SITE EXAMINATION ON THE EVENING OF THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH AN INSPECTOR, THE ON-SCENE EXAMINATION WAS LIMITED DUE TO DARKNESS AND POOR WEATHER. HOWEVER, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE PROPELLER WAS BENT AFT AT THE TIPS, THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED, THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS DILLED WITH FUEL, AND THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUSHED. NO ICE WAS FOUND ON THE WINGS OR AROUND THE ENIGNE AIR INLETS. THE AIRPLANE WAS MOVED FOUR DAYS LATER TO A HANGAR AT AVP. ANOTHER FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT AVP. THE AIRPLANE WAS SITTING ON THE RAMP WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED. THE FUEL HAD BEEN DRAINED FROM THE WING TANKS AND WAS ABSENT OF DEBRI'S AND CONTAMINATION. THE FIREWALL WAS WRINKLED AND THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK HAD BENN BREACHED. THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE WERE RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. WEATHER AT AVP, AT 1654, WAS WIND FROM 250 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 SM, CEILING BROKEN AT 6,000 FEET, BROKEN 7,500 FEET, TEMPERATURE 2 DEGREES C, DEW POINT 2 DEGREES C, AND ALTIMETER SETTING AT 29.88 IN HG. (-23) AFTER AVP APPROACH REQUESTED DESCENT FROM 10000' TO 8000', PILOT NOTICED A SLIGHT INDICATION OF ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. WHILE DESCENDING TO 8000' AVP APPROACH ASKED PILOT IF HE WANTED VECTORS AROUND 5 MILE "CELL" OF PRECIPITATION AND PILOT SAID YES. PILOT REQUESTED DESCENT TO 6000' AND REVISION TO FLIGHT PLAN FOR VECTORS DIRECT TO AVP. PILOT ADVISED AVP APPROACH OF PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER AND INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THEY CLEARED HIM TO 4000'. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 4000', HE WAS CLEARED TO 3500'. STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE HE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AT 3000' AND IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR DITCH SITES. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A SNOW COVERED FIELD. ## 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 IAD01LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA033), Feb 6, 2001: Mooney M20C (N1914Y), Peckville, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.