20030802032689A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20B · Leonardtown, MD · August 2, 2003

Date: August 2, 2003 · 09:44 local
Place: Leonardtown, MD
Airport: St Marys County Airport
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N33EM
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC03LA172
Reported as: Mooney M20B
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360LYC*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,200 total1,500 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N33EMRegistration cancelled Sep 12, 2007 · Mooney M20BS/N 1850 · Built 1961 Airframe modelMooney M20B 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) The airplane just recently moved to duke regional airport from fredericksburg, VA, where it was kept in a hangar. At duke regional airport, the airplane was parked on an uncovered ramp which had a slight incline. There has been a high level of rainfall at duke regional airport during the preceding month. The pilot stated he conducted a preflight to include taking fuel samples. During the takeoff phase, the engine lost power over the departure end of the runway. The pilot attempted a forced landing on the airport property. The left wingtip contacted the ground first thus resulting in a crash during landing. Inspection of the aircraft, after the accident, revealed that water may have been able to enter the fuel tank because of a poor seal at the fuel port.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRPLANE JUST RECENTLY MOVED TO DUKE REGIONAL AIRPORT FROM FREDERICKSBURG, VA, WHERE IT WAS KEPT IN A HANGAR. AT DUKE REGIONAL AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED ON AN UNCOVERED RAMP WHICH HAD A SLIGHT INCLINE. THERE HAS BEEN A HIGH LEVEL OF RAINFALL AT DUKE REGIONAL AIRPORT DURING THE PRECEDING MONTH. THE PILOT STATED HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT TO INCLUDE TAKING FUEL SAMPLES. DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE LEFT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND FIRST THUS RESULTING IN A CRASH DURING LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, REVEALED THAT WATER MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENTER THE FUEL TANK BECAUSE OF A POOR SEAL AT THE FUEL PORT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC03LA172Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLeonardtown, MDA loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. A factor was the fuel cap not being secured to the tank.Aug 2, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N33EM · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19960301009769INormal Cruise · Monks Corner, SCNarrative: eng. Failure- emerg. Landing on old hwy. 52 near Monks Corner, sc- no fuel in tanks(skip mayberry).Mar 1, 1996