What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At 1535 EST, N5556Q, an M20E, impacted the ground and exploded in a wooded area 176 feet west of runway 14 shortly after departure. Local authorities responded and reported the aircraft was on fire with the pilot inside. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured. The pilots identity was confirmed the next day at the autopsy. Documented accident scene and partial engine inspections with NTSB, and Lycoming tech. Inspected fuel nozzles; all nozzles found to be clean. Discrepancies found as follows: fuel servo filter screen and fuel distributor valve on top of engine (spider) both found with visible signs of water droplets. Both were tested with paste. Obtained aircraft engine and airframe logbooks from family through NJ state police. Nine responsibilities reviewed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT 1535 EST, N5556Q, AN M20E, IMPACTED THE GROUND AND EXPLODED IN A WOODED AREA 176 FEET WEST OF RUNWAY 14 SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE. LOCAL AUTHORITIES RESPONDED AND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE WITH THE PILOT INSIDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOTS IDENTITY WAS CONFIRMED THE NEXT DAY AT THE AUTOPSY. DOCUMENTED ACCIDENT SCENE AND PARTIAL ENGINE INSPECTIONS WITH NTSB, AND LYCOMING TECH. INSPECTED FUEL NOZZLES; ALL NOZZLES FOUND TO BE CLEAN. DISCREPANCIES FOUND AS FOLLOWS: FUEL SERVO FILTER SCREEN AND FUEL DISTRIBUTOR VALVE ON TOP OF ENGINE (SPIDER) BOTH FOUND WITH VISIBLE SIGNS OF WATER DROPLETS. BOTH WERE TESTED WITH PASTE. OBTAINED AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND AIRFRAME LOGBOOKS FROM FAMILY THROUGH NJ STATE POLICE. NINE RESPONSIBILITIES REVIEWED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5556Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.