20020921029589I

Incident

FAA incident report · Mooney M20C · Lafayette, IN · September 21, 2002

Date: September 21, 2002 · 11:33 local
Place: Lafayette, IN
Airport: Purdue University
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N6231U
Reported as: Mooney M20C
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A1D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 260 total50 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N6231URegistration cancelled Aug 20, 2013 · Mooney M20CS/N 2070 · Built 1962 Airframe modelMooney M20C Engine modelLycoming O&VO-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 09/21/02 a Mooney, M-20-C, registration number N6231U, shortly after departure from laf, while in cruise at 3,000 ft at approximately 1633Z, pilot heard a loud pop from the engine area. Smoke came from the front cowling, then into the cockpit. Pilot contacted laf tower to advise of situation and began 180 degree turn to return to laf. Pilot heard two more pops from engine and began losing power and could not maintain altitude. Pilot advised laf tower he was putting aircraft down in a field. The aircraft landed in a bean field approximately 12 miles nw of laf. There was no damage to the aircraft during the emergency landing and the pilot was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 09/21/02 A MOONEY, M-20-C, REGISTRATION NUMBER N6231U, SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FROM LAF, WHILE IN CRUISE AT 3,000 FT AT APPROXIMATELY 1633Z, PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP FROM THE ENGINE AREA. SMOKE CAME FROM THE FRONT COWLING, THEN INTO THE COCKPIT. PILOT CONTACTED LAF TOWER TO ADVISE OF SITUATION AND BEGAN 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO LAF. PILOT HEARD TWO MORE POPS FROM ENGINE AND BEGAN LOSING POWER AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. PILOT ADVISED LAF TOWER HE WAS PUTTING AIRCRAFT DOWN IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A BEAN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES NW OF LAF. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.