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20181209020659A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Mooney M20K · Paramus, NJ · December 9, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 9, 2018 · 12:10 local
Place
Paramus, NJ
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5756W
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA19LA062
Reported as
Mooney M20K
Reported engine
Continental TSIO-360
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
916 total114 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days
N5756WRegistration cancelled Apr 3, 2021 · Mooney M20KS/N 25-0822 · Built 1984Airframe modelMooney M20K

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.

On December 9, 2018 N5756W, a Mooney M20K, with four people on board departed lincoln park airport (N07)for a VFR 14 CFR part 91 flight at approximately 1200 eastern time intending to fly to hudson valley regional airport (pou). Shortly after 1200, at an altitude of 1500 feet, the pilot turned east towards the hudson river and noticed that the engine RPM was above 2700. The pilot tried adjustments, and the temperature on two cylinders continued to increase. Moments later, the pilot heard a loud pop noise and saw the oil service door open on top of the engine cowling followed by a large amount of smoke coming from the engine. Because he was flying under class b airspace at 1500 feet, the pilot determined that reaching any airport for a safe landing was not possible and made an emergency landing on the Paramus golf course in Paramus new jersey. The aircraft touched down on the ninth fairway, heading south, and rolled out approximately 400 yards, as evident by tire marks on fairway, and came to rest on the ninth hole tee box. The aircraft sustained damage to the right main landing gear, right wing, and propeller. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor spinal injuries.

While onsite, inspectors from this office removed the engine cowling and noticed a hole in the top of the engine case. The inspectors also found a piece of the engine crankshaft located just aft of the hole in the engine compartment. Took a fuel sample and appeared to be correct color, clear and free of water. Checked oil level and it was at 4 qts.

Records review showed the last airframe, engine and propeller annual inspection was done August 15, 2018 by airmen aviation services in the dominican republic. The engine had a major overhaul done on January 11, 2016 by pine mountain aviation located in danbury, conneticut.

The aircraft was removed and taken to air mods in trenton, new jersey. The engine was removed and sent to the engine manufacturer in mobile, Alabama for further inspection and test as requested by the NTSB.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 9, 2018 N5756W, A MOONEY M20K, WITH FOUR PEOPLE ON BOARD DEPARTED LINCOLN PARK AIRPORT (N07)FOR A VFR 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 EASTERN TIME INTENDING TO FLY TO HUDSON VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT (POU). SHORTLY AFTER 1200, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FEET, THE PILOT TURNED EAST TOWARDS THE HUDSON RIVER AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RPM WAS ABOVE 2700. THE PILOT TRIED ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE TEMPERATURE ON TWO CYLINDERS CONTINUED TO INCREASE. MOMENTS LATER, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE AND SAW THE OIL SERVICE DOOR OPEN ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COWLING FOLLOWED BY A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. BECAUSE HE WAS FLYING UNDER CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 1500 FEET, THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT REACHING ANY AIRPORT FOR A SAFE LANDING WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE PARAMUS GOLF COURSE IN PARAMUS NEW JERSEY. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NINTH FAIRWAY, HEADING SOUTH, AND ROLLED OUT APPROXIMATELY 400 YARDS, AS EVIDENT BY TIRE MARKS ON FAIRWAY, AND CAME TO REST ON THE NINTH HOLE TEE BOX. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, RIGHT WING, AND PROPELLER. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR SPINAL INJURIES.

WHILE ONSITE, INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE REMOVED THE ENGINE COWLING AND NOTICED A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE. THE INSPECTORS ALSO FOUND A PIECE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT LOCATED JUST AFT OF THE HOLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TOOK A FUEL SAMPLE AND APPEARED TO BE CORRECT COLOR, CLEAR AND FREE OF WATER. CHECKED OIL LEVEL AND IT WAS AT 4 QTS.

RECORDS REVIEW SHOWED THE LAST AIRFRAME, ENGINE AND PROPELLER ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DONE AUGUST 15, 2018 BY AIRMEN AVIATION SERVICES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THE ENGINE HAD A MAJOR OVERHAUL DONE ON JANUARY 11, 2016 BY PINE MOUNTAIN AVIATION LOCATED IN DANBURY, CONNETICUT.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN TO AIR MODS IN TRENTON, NEW JERSEY. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER IN MOBILE, ALABAMA FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND TEST AS REQUESTED BY THE NTSB.

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 ERA19LA062Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportParamus, NJMaintenance personnel's improper assembly of the engine during overhaul, which resulted in lubrication restriction due to a bearing shift and the subsequent engine failure.Dec 9, 2018 · Substantial damage