CHI02FA042

The personal flight impacted terrain in a residential neighborhood about one mile north of the departure airport while executing an emergency return to the airport. The airplane impacted a wooded area in a 20-degree nose down trajectory and came to rest about 142 feet from the initial impact point. The pilot reported smoke in the cockpit 55 seconds after takeoff which was then followed by a report of a fire 32 seconds later. A witness reported seeing gray and black smoke trailing from the right side of the exhaust area. Inspection of the wreckage revealed that the turbocharger exhaust V-band clamp was separated through the band. Metallurgical examination indicated that the separation was consistent with a fatigue fracture. According to maintenance records, the V-band clamp was installed in 1990 in response to a service letter (SL). An airworthiness directive (AD) was then issued in 1991 requiring the replacement of the V-band clamp with one which was of the same part number as called for by the SL. The V-band clamp found in the wreckage of the accident airplane was of the same part number required by the SL and AD. The airplane received an annual inspection 25 days prior to the accident at which time the V-band clamp would have accumulated a total time in service of 1,402 hours. Engine overhauls and exhaust system related maintenance has necessitated the clamp's repeated removal and installation since its original installation. According to the airplane emergency procedures for smoke/fire, the master switch and fuel selector valve are to be selected to the off positions. Radio transmissions by the flight continued after the initial report of smoke. Inspection of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector valve was selected to the right fuel tank.

History of flight

On November 27, 2001, at 1513 central standard time, a Mooney M20M, N7775L, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain and fire approximately one mile north of Evansville Regional Airport (EVV), Evansville, Indiana. The flight was returning to EVV after smoke was reported in the cockpit which was then followed by a report of fire at an unspecified location aboard the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from EVV, at 1512, and was en route to Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana.

The airplane was topped off with fuel prior to departure. A lineman, who was also a aircraft rescue firefighter, stated that he refueled the right wing after the left wing was refueled with 100 low lead aviation fuel by another lineman.

The following radio transmissions were recorded between EVV Air Traffic Control Tower and N7775L:

At 1502:35, N7775L transmitted, "evansville clearance delivery mooney triple seven five lima."

At 1502:40, Evansville Clearance Delivery (CD) transmitted, "mooney triple seven five lima is cleared to indianapolis as filed maintain four thousand expect niner thousand one zero minutes after departure departure frequency one two seven point three five squawk four five two one."

At 1502:57, N7775L transmitted, "mooney triple seven five lima is cleared to indianapolis as filed climb and maintain four expect nine in ten minutes one twenty seven therty five and four five two one [sic]."

At 1503:07, CD transmitted, "mooney triple seven five lima readback correct contact the tower one one eight point seven when you're ready to taxi."

At 1503:13, N7775L transmitted, "thank you sir."

At 1503:52, N7775L transmitted, "evansville tower mooney triple seven five lima coming out of tristate."

At 1503:58, Evansville Local Control (LC) transmitted, "mooney triple seven five lima evansville tower taxi to runway two ah two seven via taxiway alpha hold short of runway two seven do your runup there and advise when ready."

At 1504:11, N7775L transmitted, " *(ah) roger you give me two seven correct."

At 1504:14, LC transmitted, "affirmative unless you'd like a different runway."

At 1504:17, N7775L transmitted, "oh that's alright thank you."

At 1504:25, N7775L transmitted, "i'm not familiar with the airport i guess i go straight ahead here cross this other runway."

At 1504:30, LC transmitted, "affirmative taxi straight ahead you’ll cross that ah runway and you’ll hold short of the next intersection that will be two seven."

At 1504:37, N7775L transmitted, "thank you sir."

At 2104:43, N7775L transmitted, "i didn't get an atis it was i guess they were changing it or something it was off the air."

At 2104:48, LC transmitted, "okay ah atis information mike is current wind two seven zero at six altimeter three zero zero six."

At 1504:56, N7775L transmitted, "zero zero six seven five lima."

At 1509:13, N7775L transmitted, "evansville tower mooney seven five lima is ready to back taxi on two seven."

At 1509:24, N7775L transmitted, "hold short of two two seven five lima."

At 1509:45, LC transmitted, "mooney seven five lima taxi across runway two two make a one eighty and hold short of ah two two on the east side traffic and a half out a citation."

At 1509:54, N7775L transmitted, "(unintelligible) five lima crossing two two ah one eighty and hold short of two two again."

At 1511:36, LC transmitted, "mooney ah triple seven five lima fly runway heading runway two seven cleared for take off."

At 1511:42, N7775L transmitted, "seven five lima rolling."

At 1512:34, LC transmitted, "mooney seven five lima contact evansville departure."

At 1512:37, N7755L transmitted, "seven five lima has got some sort of smoke in the cockpit we're coming back in we’ll swing around to two two."

At 1512:47, LC transmitted, "seven five lima roger runway two two you're cleared to land wind ah three two zero at five runway nine is available if you want it."

At 1512:56, N7775L transmitted, "seven five lima (unintelligible)."

At 1513:09, N7775L transmitted, "we've got a fire."

There were no further transmissions by N7775L.

The lineman/firefighter stated that he saw the airplane flying in an easterly direction approximately 500-1,000 feet above ground level with gray and black smoke trailing from the area of the exhaust on the right side of the airplane. He did not recall seeing the landing gear down or any lights on. The airplane appeared to him as to be flying straight and level for several seconds before he lost sight of it behind a tree line. Seconds after losing sight of the airplane, he saw smoke rise above the tree line. The lineman/firefighter then responded with the emergency vehicles from the EVV Airport Rescue Fire Fighting station. Upon his arrival the largest fire, after the main wreckage was extinguished, was near the pilot seats, instrument panel and rudder controls.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 79, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. A total flight time of 3,605 hours was reported at the issuance of the pilot's third class medical certificate on September 27, 2001. The medical certificate had the following restriction: "must wear corrective lenses." Copies of the pilot's logbook provided to the National Transportation Safety Board showed that he accumulated total flight time of 1,382.3 hours in M20M airplanes as of January 15, 2001. The pilot had no record of any previous accidents, incidents, or violations.

Aircraft information

The 1989 Mooney M20M, serial number 27-0011, was registered with a normal category airworthiness certificate to the pilot's corporation on December 19, 1990, at a total time (TT) of 455 hours. The airplane was last inspected on November 2, 2001, at a TT of 1,857 hours during an annual inspection by a Mooney service center. The maintenance record indicated that all ADs thru 2001-21 were checked at the time of the annual inspection.

The airplane was powered by a turbocharged fuel-injected Lycoming TIO-540-AF1A, serial number L-9106-61A, engine rated at 310 horse power and 2,575 rpm. The engine received a top overhaul on February 10, 1997, at a TT of 1,456 hours and a major overhaul on December 22, 1998, at a TT of 1,595 hours.

The M20M is equipped with two integral fuel tanks in the forward sections of the wings with a total fuel capacity is 89 gallons. Fuel feeds from either tank to a three position fuel selector valve, located on the floor of the cockpit, thru a gascolator and an electric fuel pump, all of which are located behind the firewall. The fuel selector has the following position selections: left fuel tank, off, and right fuel tank.

Mooney Aircraft Corporation (MAC) issued Special Letter (SL) 90-6 on November 1, 1990, for the replacement of the exhaust/turbocharger coupling on Mooney TLS and M20M airplanes with serial numbers 27-0001 thru 27-0071 and 27-0073, 27-0075, 27-0078. The SL states, "There has been a report of the engine tailpipe coupling failing. If this happens there is a possibility that the tailpipe may depart the aircraft and exhaust gas may exit directly onto the firewall causing damage to firewall and components in the immediate area." . It called for the replacement of the exhaust/turbocharger coupling with an Aeroequip V-band clamp, part number 55677-340M or a Textron-Lycoming V-band clamp, part number 40D21162-340M.

According to the airplane maintenance record, the turbocharger clamp was inspected and a new clamp installed on December 19, 1990, at an airplane TT of 455 hours. The record made reference to SL 90-6 and listed the clamp as R89446-T, which accordi