20200813014099I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20J · Bellville, OH · August 13, 2020

Date: August 13, 2020 · 19:29 local
Place: Bellville, OH
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N201XH
Reported as: Mooney M20J
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 509 total468 in this make and model28 in the last 90 days

N201XHRegistered now · Mooney M20JS/N 24-0342 · Built 1977 Airframe modelMooney M20J Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

Pilot stated that aircraft engine lost power and made emergency landing in a cornfield with landing gear retracted.

Witnesses described engine as sputtering.

During incident investigation and engine examination discovered the dual magneto unit to have completely separated from its face cover of the engine accessory drive assembly. It was found hanging by the electrical wiring harness attached to the back of the unit, with retaining hardware missing.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORNFIELD WITH LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.

WITNESSES DESCRIBED ENGINE AS SPUTTERING.

DURING INCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCOVERED THE DUAL MAGNETO UNIT TO HAVE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM ITS FACE COVER OF THE ENGINE ACCESSORY DRIVE ASSEMBLY. IT WAS FOUND HANGING BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE UNIT, WITH RETAINING HARDWARE MISSING.

Other reports on N201XH · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19871024065889ILevel Off Touchdown · Lansing, MIThe propeller struck the runway on landing. The pilot reported he adjusted the flap setting and landed on nosewheelOct 24, 1987 · Minor damage