20150327004209I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20D · Thermopolis, WY · March 27, 2015

Date: March 27, 2015 · 15:45 local
Place: Thermopolis, WY
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6641U
Reported as: Mooney M20D
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 17,000 total5,000 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N6641URegistration cancelled Sep 1, 2015 · Mooney M20DS/N 136 · Built 1963 Airframe modelMooney M20D 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.

While cruising at approximately 5500 feet AGL, the engine failed. The pilot switched fuel tanks but the engine would not restart. An emergency landing was safely made on Wyoming highway 20 approximately 15 miles north of Thermopolis, Wyoming. The pilot had to steer the aircraft off the highway to avoid an oncoming car. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the left wing leading edge skins from hitting several reflector posts. No injurys to the pilot or to the only passenger.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 5500 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS SAFELY MADE ON WYOMING HIGHWAY 20 APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES NORTH OF THERMOPOLIS, WYOMING. THE PILOT HAD TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE SKINS FROM HITTING SEVERAL REFLECTOR POSTS. NO INJURYS TO THE PILOT OR TO THE ONLY PASSENGER.