# Accident 20240426004669A: Mooney M20E, Hornell, NY, April 26, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 26, 2024, 12:03 local time
- Place: Hornell, NY
- Airport: Hornell Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3821° N, 77.6821° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3821&lon=-77.6821&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5632Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5632Q-2024-09-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20E (registry code 5870212, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20E
- Reported engine: LYCOMING
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 500 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA194) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240426004669A

## Narrative

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

ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH, AT APPROXIMATELY 1405 EDT THE ROCHETER, NY FSDO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM E-ROC OF AN AIRCRAFT WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE AND THE PILOT EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY.  NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT.BASED ON THE PILOTS STATEMENT, THE PILOT INTENDED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO AIRPORT WHERE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS TO BE PERFORMED.  WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FLIGHT AND LOADING THE AIRCRAFT, HE INADVERTENTLY DROPPED HIS PORTABLE ADS-B IN RECEIVER AND PORTABLE/POWER BANK USED TO POWER THE RECEIVER, CAUSING VISABLE DAMAGE TO CASE.  THE ADS-B RECEIVER, INOP AFTER DAMAGED, WAS PLACED ON BACK SEAT BEHIND PILOT.  AFTER BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT AND TAXIING TO THE RUN-UP AREA, HE NOTICED SMOKE AND SMELLED AN ODER OF BURNING COMING FROM THE BACK SEAT.  UPON INVESTIGATION, HE OBSERVED FLAMES, PROMPTING HIM TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT UNHARMED.  AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RETRIEVE ITEMS FROM INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT; HOWEVER, THE FIRE HAD SPREAD TOO RAPIDLY.  THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, CONTACTED BY THE FBO, ARRIVED PROMPTLY, EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND RELOCATED THE AIRCRAFT TO A SEGREGATED AREA ON THE AIRPORT PREMISES.  INSPECTORS FROM THE ROC FSDO ARRIVED ON-SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 EDT.  THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, INCLUDING DESTRUCTION FROM FIREWALL AFT TO THE FORWARD TAIL SECTION AND BETWEEN THE WING ROOTS.  WHILE IT IS SPECULATED THAT FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THERMAL RUNAWAY OF THE PORTABLE ADS-B RECEIVER BATTERY, POTENTIALLY TRIGGERED BY DAMAGE SUSTAINED FROM IMPACT ON THE RAMP, THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDETERMINED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE REMAINING AFTER THE FIRE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA24LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA194), Apr 26, 2024: Mooney M20E (N5632Q), Hornell, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: A cabin fire as a result of a damaged lithium-ion battery pack.

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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