What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 12, 2023, at approximately 0930 central daylight time, privacy data omitted, a Mooney M20K, departed kestrel air park, Texas (1T7) for outlaw field airport, Tennessee (kckv). Shortly after departure, while traveling in a northeastern direction, the aircraft experienced a drop in manifold pressure and degraded engine performance, to which the pilot in command turned to a southeastern heading, back towards kestrel air park (1T7). However, due to continued performance degradation, he then diverted northwest toward Lakeway Airpark Airport, Texas (3R9).
While in the traffic pattern, attempting to land on runway 16, at Lakeway Airpark Airport (3R9), the engine quit. In order to avoid impacting houses the pilot attempted to land on a golf course, located just northeast of the runway. While traveling south, avoiding people present on the golf course, the aircraft struck the top of a set a trees just prior to touch down. The aircraft then went thru a wood fence, being supported by metal poles, struck a concrete structure, turned approximately 135 degrees, and came to rest with the nose facing northwest, against a large generator just to the northeast of the runway.
Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the #6 piston, and there was no compression found.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 12, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A MOONEY M20K, DEPARTED KESTREL AIR PARK, TEXAS (1T7) FOR OUTLAW FIELD AIRPORT, TENNESSEE (KCKV). SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, WHILE TRAVELING IN A NORTHEASTERN DIRECTION, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DROP IN MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND DEGRADED ENGINE PERFORMANCE, TO WHICH THE PILOT IN COMMAND TURNED TO A SOUTHEASTERN HEADING, BACK TOWARDS KESTREL AIR PARK (1T7). HOWEVER, DUE TO CONTINUED PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION, HE THEN DIVERTED NORTHWEST TOWARD LAKEWAY AIRPARK AIRPORT, TEXAS (3R9).
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 16, AT LAKEWAY AIRPARK AIRPORT (3R9), THE ENGINE QUIT. IN ORDER TO AVOID IMPACTING HOUSES THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A GOLF COURSE, LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY. WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH, AVOIDING PEOPLE PRESENT ON THE GOLF COURSE, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TOP OF A SET A TREES JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT THRU A WOOD FENCE, BEING SUPPORTED BY METAL POLES, STRUCK A CONCRETE STRUCTURE, TURNED APPROXIMATELY 135 DEGREES, AND CAME TO REST WITH THE NOSE FACING NORTHWEST, AGAINST A LARGE GENERATOR JUST TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY.
EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE #6 PISTON, AND THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.