20111001026349A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20K · Ridegefield, CT · October 1, 2011

Date: October 1, 2011 · 12:38 local
Place: Ridegefield, CT
Airport: Danbury Municipal.
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N231EB
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12LA001
Reported as: Mooney M20K
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 502 total145 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N231EBRegistration cancelled Mar 5, 2012 · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0190 · Built 1979 Airframe modelMooney M20K Engine modelContinental TSIO-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.

Aircraft took off on RW-26 left tank selected, on climbout engine stopped running. Pilot called mayday and picked a spot in the trees to crash. On site there was no fuel smell and minimal fuel leakage about a gallon. Fuel tanks were not breached. Opened each cell of the left and right fuel tanks. Right had eight gallons left tank had no evidence of fuel.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON RW-26 LEFT TANK SELECTED, ON CLIMBOUT ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. PILOT CALLED MAYDAY AND PICKED A SPOT IN THE TREES TO CRASH. ON SITE THERE WAS NO FUEL SMELL AND MINIMAL FUEL LEAKAGE ABOUT A GALLON. FUEL TANKS WERE NOT BREACHED. OPENED EACH CELL OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS. RIGHT HAD EIGHT GALLONS LEFT TANK HAD NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL.

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 ERA12LA001Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRidgefield, CTThe pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Oct 1, 2011 · Substantial damage