20011104031189I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20K · Acampo, CA · November 4, 2001

Date: November 4, 2001 · 17:15 local
Place: Acampo, CA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N305JB
Reported as: Mooney M20K
Reported engine: Continental TSIO520NB
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 225 total150 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N305JBRegistered now · Mooney M20KS/N 25-1067 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.

(-23) On site investigation by inspector determined that aircraft was low on fuel in right wing. At maintenance shop, 4 gallons of fuel drained from right tank, 8.5 gallons drained from left tank. Aircraft manual showed 2.5 unusable in each tank. After draining the right tank, the gauge still showed 9 gallons available. In the preliminary investigation the pilot stated he was using the right tank and doing turns with a prospective aircraft partner. It is suspected that while in a turn that he may have inadvertently ported the fuel from the engine causing fuel starvation.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SITE INVESTIGATION BY INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS LOW ON FUEL IN RIGHT WING. AT MAINTENANCE SHOP, 4 GALLONS OF FUEL DRAINED FROM RIGHT TANK, 8.5 GALLONS DRAINED FROM LEFT TANK. AIRCRAFT MANUAL SHOWED 2.5 UNUSABLE IN EACH TANK. AFTER DRAINING THE RIGHT TANK, THE GAUGE STILL SHOWED 9 GALLONS AVAILABLE. IN THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION THE PILOT STATED HE WAS USING THE RIGHT TANK AND DOING TURNS WITH A PROSPECTIVE AIRCRAFT PARTNER. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT WHILE IN A TURN THAT HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PORTED THE FUEL FROM THE ENGINE CAUSING FUEL STARVATION.