# Incident 20060430008269I: Mooney M20C, Smithfield, NC, April 30, 2006

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 30, 2006, 08:30 local time
- Place: Smithfield, NC
- Airport: Johnston County Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.5409° N, 78.3903° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at JOHNSTON RGNL (JNX), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5409&lon=-78.3903&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7873V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7873V-2022-05-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20C (registry code 5870208, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,890 total, 12 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060430008269I

## Narrative

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

(-23) PIC STATED ON APRIL 30, 2006 DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT HE ATTEMPTED A FUEL TANK CHANGE PRIOR TO LANDING AT JNX. THE FUEL SELECTOR JAMMED IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE COPILOT SEAT TOOK CONTROL WHILE HE UNFASTENED HIS SEAT BELT AND CRAWLED INTO THE FLOOR TO GET BETTER LEVERAGE ON THE FUEL SELECTOR. HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE SELECTOR TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT TANK POSITION; THEREFORE, IT WAS STUCK IN THE OFF POSITION. THEY PREPARED FOR A POWER OFF APPROACH TO JNX. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT, THE INSTRUCTOR CHOSE THE BEST AVAILABLE OFF AIRPORT SITE. THEY OPTED TO LAND WHEELS UP DUE TO THE NEED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE AND THE CONDITION OF THE SOFT FIELD. THEY LANDED WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND NO INJURIES TO THE CREW. ATTACHED IS A STATEMENT FROM D & S AERO SPECIALTIES, INC., STATING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE, AND THAT SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT (MAINTENANCE IS PENDING).

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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