20090803857449A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20F · Suffolk, VA · August 3, 2009

Date: August 3, 2009 · 17:00 local
Place: Suffolk, VA
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3549N
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09LA441
Reported as: Mooney M20F
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,548 total250 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N3549NRegistration cancelled Aug 23, 2012 · Mooney M20FS/N 680093 · Built 1967 Airframe modelMooney M20F Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

After approximately 10 minutes of flight, the engine experienced a power loss due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a road, when he touched down, he was unable to negotiate a turn in the road and lost directoinal control. The right wing impacted a tree, spinning the aircraft around, shearing off the landing gear. The aircraft came to a stop after the empennage impacted another tree.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN, HE WAS UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE A TURN IN THE ROAD AND LOST DIRECTOINAL CONTROL. THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE, SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT AROUND, SHEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AFTER THE EMPENNAGE IMPACTED ANOTHER TREE.

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 ERA09LA441Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSuffolk, VAA loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s failure to accurately calculate the fuel required for the flight. Contributing to the accident was a malfunction of the fuel quantity indicators.Aug 3, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3549N · 1

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

Incident 20000709035109INormal Cruise · Daggett, CA(-23)While at cruise altitude, pilot noticed engine starting to run roughly. He noticed ATC and landed at nearest airport (dag). His mechanic found the front cylinder (#2) cap retaining pin and plate had came loose causing engine to not performed properly.…Jul 9, 2000