# Accident 20180419003869A: Mooney M20F, Bulverde, TX, April 19, 2018 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 19, 2018, 17:20 local time - Place: Bulverde, TX - Airport: Bulverde - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.7392° N, 98.4511° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7392&lon=-98.4511&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3535X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3535X) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Mooney M20F (registry code 5870214, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F - Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 400 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA233) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180419003869A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM FORT WORTH TEXAS TO BULVERDE, TEXAS 1T8. THE PILOT IN COMMAND OCCUPIED THE FORWARD RIGHT HAND SEAT. THE FORWARD LEFT HAND SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT. THE LEFT REAR SEAT PASSENGER WAS OCCUPIED BY A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE NEW AIRCRAFT OWNER OCCUPIED THE RIGHT HAND REAR SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING OVER CANYON LAKE APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES NORTH EAST OF BULVERDE 1T8 AIRPORT. THE PILOT IN COMMAND HAD DECIDED TO ALLOW THE PRIVATE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT TO PRACTICE LANDINGS AT ALTITUDE BEFORE PROCEEDING TO BULVERDE. DURING THE PRACTICE LANDINGS AT ALTITUDE NEAR CANYON LAKE IN COMAL COUNTY, THE RIGHT HAND SEAT PILOT AND PASSENGERS HEARD THE ENGINE BEGIN TO SPUTTER AND RUN ROUGH. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED FUEL TANK SELECTOR FROM RIGHT TO LEFT TANK. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT FELT IT WAS RUNNING RICH AND INDICATED IT WAS RUNNING HOT. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT STATED THE ENGINE MAY HAVE A MAGNETO PROBLEM. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT STATED HE PERFORMED A MAGNETO TEST IN THE AIR AND REPORTED A DROP OF NEARLY 800 RPM ON THE LEFT MAGNETO. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT THEN STATED HE RETARDED MIXTURE TO LEAN AND CLEAR POSSIBLE FOULED PLUGS. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT STATED THAT THIS SEEMED TO WORK AS THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTH FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS. ONCE THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT INCREASED POWER, THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS RESTARTED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACKFIRE. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT WAS AT 3300 FEET AT APPROXIMATELY 110 KNOTS. RIGHT SEAT PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO BULVERDE, TEXAS 1T8, NOT CONSIDERING EQUALLY DISTANCE AIRPORT NEW BRAUNFELS, (KBAZ) THAT HAS EMERGENCY AND CONTROL TOWER OPERATIONS AS WELL AS LONGER, WIDER AND MULTIPLE (2) RUNWAY OPTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT BULVERDE AIRPORT, 1T8, HIGH AND FAST WITH PARTIAL POWER. AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 34 TOUCHING DOWN APPROXIMATELY IN THE LAST ONE-THIRD PORTION OF RUNWAY. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT ELECTED TO MANEUVER AIRCRAFT TO LEFT SIDE WITH APPROXIMATELY THREE HUNDRED FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING IN ORDER TO AVOID HITING A FENCELINE AND A ROAD. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LOWER BOTTOM EMPENAGE, LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. AIRCRAFT EMPENAGE VERTICAL ASSEMBLY HAS A SLIGHT OFFSET TO THE LEFT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ENGINE SHOWED NO SIGN OF MALFUNCTION, BOTH MAGNETOS CHECKED GOOD PROVIDING SPARK, PROPELLER SPUN FREELY, ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP CHECKED GOOD. RIGHT HAND FUEL GAUGE INDICATED ONE-HALF FULL WITH THE BATTERY MASTER SWITCH OFF. ONCE THE BATTERY/MASTER SWITCH WAS TURNED ON, THE RIGHT HAND FUEL GAUGE INDICATED FULL FUEL. APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF CUP OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT HAND FUEL TANK THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS APPROXIMATLEY 90% FULL.THERE WAS NO INJURIES TO PILOT AND PASSENGERS. NO POST CRASH FIRE. ## 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 GAA18CA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA233), Apr 19, 2018: Mooney M20F (N3535X), Bulberde, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s unstabilized approach, which resulted in the airplane landing long and fast, and the pilot’s subsequent decision to steer the airplane off the side of the runway to avoid a runway overrun. ## Other reports on N3535X (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20190616007109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190616007109I), Jun 16, 2019: Mooney M20F (N3535X), Fort Worth, TX, Minor damage. On June 16, 2019, at approximately 1515 central daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N3535X, veered off the left side of runway 35 left at Fort Worth spinks airport… - [Incident 19910102001179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910102001179I), Jan 2, 1991: Mooney M20F (N3535X), Del Rio, TX. Complete electrical failure en route. Landed safely. Generator shorted out due to water picked up inflight. - [Accident 19830903060549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830903060549A), Sep 3, 1983: Mooney M20F (N3535X), Seattle, WA, Destroyed. Engine quit for unknown reasons and aircraft was ditched in puget sound. - [Incident 19800823081139I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800823081139I), Aug 23, 1980: Mooney M20F (N3535X), Waynesburg, PA, Minor damage. Pilot failed to extend gear. Throttle setting for gear horn not properly adjusted. 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.