# Accident 20160318008119A: Mooney M20C, Wichita, KS, March 18, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2016, 12:20 local time
- Place: Wichita, KS
- Airport: Colonel James Jabara
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.7267° N, 97.2286° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7267&lon=-97.2286&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9262M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9262M-2018-03-09) (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: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 123 total, 30 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160318008119A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON THE RETURN LEG WITH FULL FUEL, 52 GALLONS. DURING THE PREVIOUS 3.6 HOUR FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFTS FUEL USAGE WAS 10.3 GALLONS PER HOUR, AS EVIDENCED BY THE FUEL PURCHASE RECEIPT. THE AIRCRAFTS RETURN FLIGHT DURATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS.

DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED LOWER CLOUD CEILINGS AND DESCENDED FROM ITS CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 6,500 FEET TO 2,500 FEET FOR THE LAST 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT.  AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE EXTENDING DOWNWIND FOR TRAFFIC ON FINAL.

THE PILOT REPORTED ENGINE POWER LOSS AT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE, AND BEYOND GLIDING DISTANCE OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT CHOSE A GOLF COURSE FAIRWAY FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE LANDING.

THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH ITS RIGHT WING, APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND CONTINUED AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 135 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT BRIEFLY  TOUCHED DOWN FOR ABOUT 10 FEET, LEAVING MAIN WHEEL RIM DEPRESSIONS IN THE GROUND. AFTERWORDS, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE FOR ANOTHER 200 FEET BEFORE STRIKING THE FAR EDGE OF A SAND TRAP, CREATING 3 DEEP IMPRESSIONS BEFORE AGAIN BECOMING AIRBORNE FOR 50 FEET AND LANDING, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FORWARD TRAVEL ACROSS THE GROUND.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, INCLUDING, THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, THE RIGHT WING AT THE LEADING EDGE AND THE UPPER AND LOWER WING SURFACES PUNCTURED BY THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY, AFT OF THE WING TANK. ONE BLADE OF THE PROP WAS BENT AFT APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES AND THE AIRCRAFT FIREWALL WAS BENT.

UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE WAS FOUND OR EVIDENCED BY THE POLICE, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT OR GOLF COURSE GROUNDS SUPERVISOR AS WOULD BE EVIDENCED BY DEAD GRASS. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, AS EVIDENCED BY VISUAL INSPECTION AND THE INABILITY TO SUMP FUEL AT THE SUMP DRAIN. FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK WAS VISIBLE AND SUMP WAS DRAINABLE. THE QUANTITY IN THE RIGHT TANK WAS ESTIMATED AT 3 GALLONS BY THE FAA. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK AND THE FUEL PUMP SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN16LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA129), Mar 18, 2016: Mooney M20C (N9262M), Wichita, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot's improper fuel management.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.