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20220127001149I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Mooney M20C · Phoenix, AZ · January 27, 2022

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 27, 2022 · 15:15 local
Place
Phoenix, AZ
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N4061N
Reported as
Mooney M20C
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-A1D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
166 total17 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N4061NRegistered now · Mooney M20CS/N 680028 · Built 1968Airframe modelMooney M20CEngine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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 completed the preflight but only visually verified fuel was present. He then used the fuel gauges to assess the quantity of fuel present in the aircraft prior to the flight. The pilot noticed the fuel was being used quicker than expected and returned to the airport. During the first two attempts at landing he bounced and went around. On the third attempt the engine died while on final. He stated he switched tanks and the engine momentarily restarted then again stalled, at which point he declared an emergency and landed short of the runway.

My statement:

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With this aircraft I'm unable to "dip" the tanks to get a reliable measurement of fuel onboard. I have to use the fuel gauges.

Fuel assessment before flight: left tank indicated 1/2 full, right tank indicated 5/8 full.

While in flight I noticed fuel was being depleted faster than I expected and decided to return to kdvt.

Right traffic 25R. After touchdown the aircraft started to porpoise so I went around. This happened twice. On the third attempt I was on right base to final and ATC instructed me to re-join the right downwind then (if I remember correctly) gave me a landing clearance for 25R.

While turning to final, the engine quits, emergency procedures ensue, declared an emergency with ATC, landed safely in the desert east of kdvt.

What I think happened: fuel starvation. I incorrectly thought I had ~2.7 hours of fuel on board based on the fuel indicators.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT COMPLETED THE PREFLIGHT BUT ONLY VISUALLY VERIFIED FUEL WAS PRESENT. HE THEN USED THE FUEL GAUGES TO ASSESS THE QUANTITY OF FUEL PRESENT IN THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL WAS BEING USED QUICKER THAN EXPECTED AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. DURING THE FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS AT LANDING HE BOUNCED AND WENT AROUND. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT THE ENGINE DIED WHILE ON FINAL. HE STATED HE SWITCHED TANKS AND THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY RESTARTED THEN AGAIN STALLED, AT WHICH POINT HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

MY STATEMENT:

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WITH THIS AIRCRAFT I'M UNABLE TO "DIP" THE TANKS TO GET A RELIABLE MEASUREMENT OF FUEL ONBOARD. I HAVE TO USE THE FUEL GAUGES.

FUEL ASSESSMENT BEFORE FLIGHT: LEFT TANK INDICATED 1/2 FULL, RIGHT TANK INDICATED 5/8 FULL.

WHILE IN FLIGHT I NOTICED FUEL WAS BEING DEPLETED FASTER THAN I EXPECTED AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO KDVT.

RIGHT TRAFFIC 25R. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO PORPOISE SO I WENT AROUND. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT I WAS ON RIGHT BASE TO FINAL AND ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO RE-JOIN THE RIGHT DOWNWIND THEN (IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY) GAVE ME A LANDING CLEARANCE FOR 25R.

WHILE TURNING TO FINAL, THE ENGINE QUITS, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ENSUE, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC, LANDED SAFELY IN THE DESERT EAST OF KDVT.

WHAT I THINK HAPPENED: FUEL STARVATION. I INCORRECTLY THOUGHT I HAD ~2.7 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD BASED ON THE FUEL INDICATORS.