# Accident 20191228018959A: Mooney M20J, Farmingdale, NY, December 28, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 28, 2019, 16:18 local time
- Place: Farmingdale, NY
- Airport: Republic
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7131° N, 73.4119° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7131&lon=-73.4119&mi=10
- Aircraft: N52840, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N52840) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,090 total, 697 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191228018959A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRMAN DEPARTED KFOK ENROUTE TO KFRG ON A VFR FLIGHT. UPON ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTER FOR RUNWAY 1 AT KFRG HE WAS TOLD TO EXTEND DOWNWIND FOR OTHER LANDING TRAFFIC. ON ABOUT A 3 MILE FINAL THE AIRMAN WAS ASKED BY AIR TRAFFIC TO EXECUTE S TURNS FOR SPACING AS HE WAS GAINING ON THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF HIM. DURING AN S TURN TO THE RIGHT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PIC IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE AND SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE AIRMAN PROCEED TO GLIDE STRAIGHT AHEAD AND LANDED IN THE WOODS ADJACENT TO THE WESTBOUND LANES OF THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY DIRECTLY SOUTH OF RUNWAY 1 THRESHOLD AT KFRG. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A LIGHTPOLE AND DESTROYED THE LEFT FUEL TANK. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK ON SCENE THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 1/2 INCH OF FUEL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. NOTABLY UNUSABLE FUEL THAT WOULD NOT REACH THE FUEL DRAIN. NO DEFORMATION OF THE RIGHT TANK WAS NOTED. FUEL QUANTITY IN THE LEFT TANK COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE PIC CLAIMED HE HAD 18 GALLONS IN THE LEFT TANK AND 10 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT TANK WHEN HE DEPARTED KFOK.  POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE FUEL LINES REVEALED NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES DIRECTLY BEFORE AND AFTER THE FUEL DIVIDER AS WELL AS NO FUEL FOUND IN THE FUEL SUPPLY LINES.

## 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 ERA20LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA082), Dec 28, 2019: Mooney M20J (N52840), Farmingdale, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper preflight inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.

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.

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