# NTSB CEN13LA095: Mooney M20E, N9493V, Gurdon, AR, December 5, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 5, 2012, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Gurdon, AR
- Coordinates: 33.923889, -93.168052 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9239&lon=-93.1681&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Little Rock FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85776
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA095
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85776/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85776
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA095

## Probable cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because no mechanical engine malfunctions were identified and because the actual fuel load and distribution at the time of the accident could not be determined.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20E, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=5870212), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=5870212), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Mooney M20E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=5870212), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20E, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870212), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, about 30 minutes into the cross-country flight, the airplane's engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot stated that the airplane had departed with 35 to 40 gallons of fuel onboard, and, therefore, that sufficient fuel was remaining when the engine lost partial power. The engine subsequently lost total power when the airplane was about 1,500 feet mean sea level, and the pilot did not have time to troubleshoot the problem before having to shift his focus to identifying a suitable landing area. He completed a forced landing on a nearby road, but, during the landing roll, the left wing contacted a bush, which caused the airplane to depart the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. A postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's actual fuel load and distribution at the time of accident could not be determined because the airplane was recovered from the accident site before local or federal authorities were notified of the accident. Therefore, it could not be determined whether the airplane experienced fuel starvation/exhaustion during the accident flight.

## Factual narrative

On December 5, 2012, about 1200 central standard time, a Mooney model M20E airplane, N9493V, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during a forced landing near Gurdon, Arkansas. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that departed from Austin Grider Field Airport (PBF), Pine Bluff, Arkansas, about 1130, and was en route to Gurdon Lowe Field Airport (5M8), Gurdon, Arkansas.The pilot reported that the accident occurred during a repositioning flight after the airplane had undergone avionics maintenance. The pilot stated that about 30 minutes into the flight the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power, consistent with a lack of available fuel. The pilot stated that the airplane had departed with 35-40 gallons of fuel on-board, and as such, there was still sufficient fuel remaining when the engine lost power. He stated that the airplane was "fairly low" to the ground (about 1,500 feet mean sea level) when a total loss of engine power occurred, and he did not have sufficient time to troubleshoot the lack of engine power before having to focus on identifying a suitable landing area. He noted that he did not turn on the electric fuel pump during his brief attempt to restart the engine. He completed a forced landing on a nearby road, but during the landing roll the left wing contacted a bush located alongside the road, which caused the airplane to depart the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. The fuselage and wings were damaged during the accident sequence. Following the accident, without notifying local or federal authorities of the accident, the pilot recovered the airplane wreckage to his company's location in Gurdon, Arkansas. An engine examination was completed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, with the assistance of an aviation mechanic, after the airplane wreckage had been recovered. The engine, a Lycoming model IO-360-A1A, serial number RL-19935-51A, had accumulated 423 hours since it was last overhauled on October 31, 2002. The engine produced suction/compression at each cylinder in conjunction with crankshaft rotation. Additionally, engine valve train and accessory drive continuity was confirmed with crankshaft rotation. The mechanical fuel pump and shower-of-sparks ignition system operated as designed while the engine was rotated using the electric starter motor. The fuel screens were free of any particulate contamination. The postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's actual fuel load and distribution at the time of accident could not be determined because the airplane was recovered from the accident site before local or federal authoritieswere notified of the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9493V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9493V-2018-01-10), registration cancelled 2018-01-10, S/N 700047, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20E
- Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 700047
- Year built: 1970
- Airframe hours: 3251
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Roy Ricketts
- Registered owner: Roy Ricketts
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 14, 2011, 7 hours before
- Departed: PBF, Pine Bluff, AR
- Destination: 5M8, Gurdon, AR
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 26, 2011; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 890 total, 500 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft broken
- Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observed at: ADF, 10 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 20121205027549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121205027549A), Dec 5, 2012: Mooney M20E, Gurdon, AR, Substantial damage. On December 5, 2012 at 1200 CST, a Mooney M20E, N9493V, collided with a ditch during following an off airport emergency landing. The intended airport was…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85776. 794 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 526 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411971&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation (Roy Rickets, Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411972&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20(Roy%20Rickets,%20Pilot)-Redacted.PDF
- Engine Examination Report (William Helms, Mechanic) (item 3, .PDF, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411973&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Examination%20Report%20(William%20Helms,%20Mechanic)-Redacted.PDF
- Email Correspondence (Roy Rickets, Pilot) (item 4, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411974&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20Correspondence%20(Roy%20Rickets,%20Pilot)-Redacted.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.

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