What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 05/25/2023 at approximately 1845 PST a 1955 Mooney M-18C-551 was involved in an accident that resulted in an off airport landing with substantial damage. Neither the FAA or NTSB traveled to the accident sight and the aircraft was released by the NTSB to the registered owner(s) and was relocated the Napa county airport (apc). On 05/13/2023 the NTSB traveled to apc to perform an engine teardown of the installed Continental C-85-12F. The following is a post teardown brief I received from the NTSB inspector:
Everything worked as advertised. Manual rotation revealed good continuity, no stuck valves, no evidence of detonation or pre-ignition, fuel was in the fuel pumps and carb. Mags fired and was timed 28 and 30 degrees. I even checked the ignition switch & p-leads and it tested fine. Like you said before, carb-ice is what its looking like. The PIC stated that he did not adjust carb heat at all.
Myself and the NTSB inspector believe that the most likely cause of the engine to stop producing power was carburetor ice on the decent into apc for landing.
The PICprivacy data omitted provided aircraft records which showed the last annual inspection being completed on 04/20/2023 at an aftt: 1018.7, tach: 270.88 with an engine tt: 692.78.
As the FAA filed it
ON 05/25/2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1845 PST A 1955 MOONEY M-18C-551 WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER THE FAA OR NTSB TRAVELED TO THE ACCIDENT SIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED BY THE NTSB TO THE REGISTERED OWNER(S) AND WAS RELOCATED THE NAPA COUNTY AIRPORT (APC). ON 05/13/2023 THE NTSB TRAVELED TO APC TO PERFORM AN ENGINE TEARDOWN OF THE INSTALLED CONTINENTAL C-85-12F. THE FOLLOWING IS A POST TEARDOWN BRIEF I RECEIVED FROM THE NTSB INSPECTOR:
EVERYTHING WORKED AS ADVERTISED. MANUAL ROTATION REVEALED GOOD CONTINUITY, NO STUCK VALVES, NO EVIDENCE OF DETONATION OR PRE-IGNITION, FUEL WAS IN THE FUEL PUMPS AND CARB. MAGS FIRED AND WAS TIMED 28 AND 30 DEGREES. I EVEN CHECKED THE IGNITION SWITCH & P-LEADS AND IT TESTED FINE. LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, CARB-ICE IS WHAT ITS LOOKING LIKE. THE PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT ADJUST CARB HEAT AT ALL.
MYSELF AND THE NTSB INSPECTOR BELIEVE THAT THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE ENGINE TO STOP PRODUCING POWER WAS CARBURETOR ICE ON THE DECENT INTO APC FOR LANDING.
THE PIC^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROVIDED AIRCRAFT RECORDS WHICH SHOWED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION BEING COMPLETED ON 04/20/2023 AT AN AFTT: 1018.7, TACH: 270.88 WITH AN ENGINE TT: 692.78.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.