- Date
- October 14, 1991, 20:15 local (Oct 15, 1991, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Knox, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3947HMooney M20K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911014046079A
- Case key
- 15335
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
The overload failure of the #2 cylinder connecting rod. Contributing to the accident was the night light conditions and the pilot's inability to reach a suitable landing area.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight at 11,000 feet the pilot noted a loss of engine power and '0' oil pressure. The airplane was vectored to the closest airport but was unable to make the runway. A forced landing was made in a corn field and the nose gear collapsed. Post accident inspection revealed a broken rod on the number 2 cylinder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3947H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-0450
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-GBI, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Northern Harvest Furniture,Inc
- Registered owner
- Northern Harvest Furniture,Inc
- Departed
- STL · St. Louis, MO
- Destination
- 3CM · Bay City, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,700 total · 12 in this make and model · 2,582 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- SBN, 27 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.