- Date
- December 13, 2008, 01:30 local (06:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sebastian, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N6871NMooney M20G
- Defining event
- Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 69560
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While en route to his destination, at 4,500 feet above mean sea level and during night visual meteorological conditions, the pilot of a Mooney M20G experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He then executed the forced landing procedure and glided the airplane towards a "dark spot" on the ground. The airplane struck trees and then the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions.
Factual narrative
While en route to his destination, at 4,500 feet above mean sea level and during night visual meteorological conditions, the pilot of a Mooney M20G experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He then executed the forced landing procedure and glided the airplane towards a "dark spot" on the ground. The airplane struck trees and then the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. A review of a carburetor-icing chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at cruise power." A representative from the engine manufacturer advised that there was in excess of a 90 percent probability of developing carburetor ice at the time of the accident, based on local conditions. The pilot reported that he did not normally use carburetor heat when flying, as the weather was usually warm in the area of the country he operated in.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6871N
- Reported as
- Mooney M20G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 680124
- Airframe hours
- 4,104
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 2008
- Departed
- LNA · West Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- TIX · Titusville, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- December 21, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- VRB, 10 nm away