- Date
- December 26, 2008, 11:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Edgewood, NM
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1216XMooney M20C
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081226853079A
- Case key
- 73140
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power while at cruise altitude for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was at a cruise altitude of 12,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions on an instrument-flight-rules flight plan when he experienced a total loss of engine power 6 minutes after switching fuel tanks. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and broke out of the clouds at approximately 300 feet above the ground and landed in a clearing with the landing gear retracted. The airplane slid approximately 300 feet and impacted a fence. The pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was at a cruise altitude of 12,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions on an instrument flight rules flight plan when he experienced a total loss of engine power 6 minutes after switching fuel tanks. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and broke out of the clouds at approximately 300 feet above the ground and landed in a clearing with the landing gear retracted. The airplane slid approximately 300 feet and impacted a fence. The pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1216X
- Reported as
- Mooney M20C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2619
- Airframe hours
- 4,586
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 25, 2008 · 4,586 hours before
- Departed
- KSJT · San Angelo, TX
- Destination
- KABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 1N1 · Sandia Airpark
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 348 total · 348 in this make and model · 303 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- KABQ, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.