# NTSB DEN04LA105: Mooney M20C, N6773U, Escalante, UT, July 18, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 2004, 19:00 local (Jul 18, 2004, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Escalante, UT - Coordinates: 37.744445, -111.303611 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7444&lon=-111.3036&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59687 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA105 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59687/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA105 ## Probable cause the improper installation of an oil pan quick-drain fitting resulting in the loss of engine oil, failure of the engine, and subsequent impact with terrain following an attempted forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - lubricating system,oil quickdrain/drain plug - not safetied (cause) - lubricating system - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - sand bar (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, approximately 25 minutes into the flight, the engine began to run rough and shake "violently." A few monuments later, blue smoke came out of the engine cowling and filled the cabin. The pilot shut down the engine, and attempted a forced landing to an exposed sand bar adjacent to a river. When the airplane impacted the sand bar, the nose landing gear and both main landing gear assemblies collapsed, substantially damaging the airplane's firewall and both wings. An engine examination revealed that a brass quick-drain fitting, installed in the engine's oil pan, had unscrewed and fallen out. The quick-drain fitting was not secured with safety wire. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 2004, at approximately 1900 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N6773U, operated by EPM AV Corp., was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power when it impacted terrain during a forced landing to a sand bar near the Escalante River, approximately 15 nautical miles east of Escalante, Utah. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated at Escalante, at approximately 1835. The pilot stated that approximately 25 minutes into the flight, the engine began to run rough and shake "violently." A few moments later, blue smoke came out of the engine cowling and filled the cabin. The pilot shut down the engine, and attempted a forced landing on an exposed sand bar adjacent to the Escalante River. When the airplane impacted the sand bar, the nose landing gear and both main landing gear assemblies collapsed, substantially damaging the airplane's firewall and both wings. According to the pilot, an engine examination revealed that the brass quick-drain fitting that was installed in the engine's oil pan, became unscrewed and fell out. The quick-drain fitting was not secured with safety wire. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6773U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6773U-2013-07-23), registration cancelled 2013-07-23, S/N 2495, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20C - Registry model: [Mooney M20C](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (registry code 5870208) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2495 - Airframe hours: 4627 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: EMP. AV Corp - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 27, 2004, 48 hours before - Departed: 1L7, Escalante, UT - Destination: 1L7, Escalante, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review December 7, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,532 total, 43 in this make and model, 1,425 as pilot in command, 59 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.32 inHg - Observed at: KBCE, 40 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 20040717014119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040717014119A), Jul 17, 2004: Mooney M20C, Escalante, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft had been airborne for approximately 20 minutes on a sight seeing flight when the engine suddenly developed a severe vibration accompanied by… 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.