# Incident 20210930022269I: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Limon, CO, September 30, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 30, 2021, 16:20 local time
- Place: Limon, CO
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2651° N, 103.6859° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Limon, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2651&lon=-103.6859&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5779R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5779R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20K (registry code 5870220, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360-LB
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210930022269I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM KABI TO KDGW ON SEPT. 30, 2021.  HE HAD STOPPED AT KBGD THAT MORNING TO TAKE ON FUEL AND WAS ON HIS SECOND LEG OF THE FLIGHT. OVER EASTERN COLORADO, WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.

THE PILOT WAS AT 12,500' AGL ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND USING FLIGHT FOLLOWING, IN RADIO CONTACT WITH DENVER CENTER. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. HE STILL HAD PARTIAL POWER, BUT THE ENGINE'S POWER OUTPUT DROPPED FROM CRUISE POWER (50%) TO UNDER 20%, AND THEN THE ENGINE MONITOR FLASHED A LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING. HE CONFIRMED THIS WITH HIS PANEL OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, WHICH SHOWED NO OIL PRESSURE. HE THEN SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN PER THE POH.

HE NOTIFIED DENVER CENTER THAT HE WAS DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND WOULD HAVE TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. THE NEAREST AIRPORT WAS LIMON, ABOUT 25 MILES NORTH OF HIS POSITION, AND ATC CONFIRMED THERE WERE NO UNMAPPED AIRFIELDS IN THE

AS HE DESCENDED.

PILOT LANDED IN A FARMERS FIELD AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING.

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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