# Accident 20020117038469A: Mooney M20J, Lake Placid, FL, January 17, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 2002, 06:30 local time
- Place: Lake Placid, FL
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.2897° N, 81.3604° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2897&lon=-81.3604&mi=10
- Aircraft: N201XL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201XL-2002-10-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020117038469A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THURSDAY MORNING, 17 JANUARY 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 06:30 EST, FATHER FRANCIS J. NEMMERS, HOLDER OF PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER 1532065 ATTEMPTED TO DEPART VINCES'S AIRPORT, LAKE PLACID, FLORIDA IN HIS MOONEY M-20J, N201XL. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS FULL WHILE THE RIGHT TANK HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO GET HIM AIRBORNE. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE TURF SURFACED RUNWAY 9, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ALTITUDE CONTINUING TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT OVER THE EDGE OF AN ORANGE GROVE, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE ENGINE AILED BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT TO THE RIGHT TO GET BACK TO THE RUNWAY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND CRASH LANDED IN AN IRRIGATION DITCH IN THE ORANGE GROVE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE ACCIDENT WITH THE PILOT SUSTAINING SERIOUS INJURY. IMC METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ARE SUSPECTED TO HAVE EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 MIA02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA050), Jan 17, 2002: Mooney M20J (N201XL), Lake Placid, FL, destroyed. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to perform a proper preflight inspection and his improper fuel tank selection for takeoff, resulting in a loss of engine power on takeoff due to fuel starvation, and the…

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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