# NTSB CEN11LA529: Mooney M20K, N231EH, Opelousas, LA, July 30, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 30, 2011, 11:04 local (16:04 UTC) - Place: Opelousas, LA - Coordinates: 30.558332, -92.099441 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5583&lon=-92.0994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 27, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 81269 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA529 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81269/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81269 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA529 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, immediately after retracting the landing gear during the takeoff climb, the engine began running rough. He performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane collided with trees. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no fuel in the fuel pump, and water was found inside the fuel manifold bowl. The water was brown in color, did not smell like aviation fuel, and left a brown stain when it evaporated. ## Factual narrative On July 30, 2011, at 1104 central daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N231EH, impacted a field shortly after takeoff from St. Landry Parish-Ahart Field (OPL), Opalousas, Louisiana. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a ferry flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The local flight had just originated from OPL. According to an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot was ferrying the airplane to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to be inspected by a perspective purchaser. He said that shortly after takeoff, immediately after retracting the landing gear, the engine began running rough as if it were no longer firing on all six cylinders. He made a forced landing in a field and collided with trees. A postaccident examination of the engine, under the direction of the National Transportation Safety Board, disclosed the left magneto fired on all terminals, but the right magneto fired erratically at low RPM. When RPM was increased above 1400, the leads began to fire normally. Disassembly of the right magneto revealed the distributor gear was loose, and carbon tracking was seen on the interior. The rotor gear was also loose and wobbled when rotated. The gap was 5 degrees off from normal. No fuel was found inside the fuel pump, but a large amount of water was found inside the fuel manifold bowl. The fuel was brown in color. It did not smell like 100LL, and it left a brown stain when it evaporated. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N231EH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N231EH-2015-05-06), registration cancelled 2015-05-06, S/N 25-0179, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-0179 - Airframe hours: 3575 - Engines: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Lloyd Magnuson - Registered owner: Lloyd Magnuson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2011, 24 hours before - Departed: OPL, Opelousas, LA - Destination: ENW, Kenosha, WI - Airport: OPL, St. Landry Parish-Ahart Field, runway 18, 5,999 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 4,400 total, 200 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KLFT, 24 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110730021999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110730021999A), Jul 30, 2011: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Opelousas, LA, Destroyed. Airman departed from runway 18. At about 200 feet AGL landing gear was retracted. At this point pilot stated the engine lost power. An unsuccessful attempt was… ## Other investigations on N231EH (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 SEA03LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA003), Oct 12, 2002: Mooney M20K (N231EH), Rexburg, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to perform a go-around once it became evident that his remedial action was not adequate to overcome the porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation that occurred during the landing flare.… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 23, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81269. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355306&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355319&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - N231EH collided with this grove of trees following the loss of engine power. (item 3, .PDF, 420 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355373&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20N231EH%20collided%20with%20this%20grove%20of%20trees%20following%20the%20loss%20of%20engine%20power.-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - N231EH after the forced landing. (item 4, .PDF, 403 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20N231EH%20after%20the%20forced%20landing.-Master.PDF - Photo 3 - Damage to the right wing. (item 5, .PDF, 278 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20right%20wing.-Master.PDF - Photo 4 - The instrument panel. (item 6, .PDF, 216 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20The%20instrument%20panel.-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.