# NTSB ERA17LA175: Mooney M20R, N20835, Myrtle Beach, SC, May 9, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 9, 2017, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Myrtle Beach, SC - Coordinates: 33.642223, -78.918609 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6422&lon=-78.9186&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Continental Motors, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95142 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA175 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95142/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95142 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA175 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane sank in the ocean and was not recovered. ## 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 M20R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=5870225), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Terrain: water](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Mooney M20R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md?model=5870225), [All aircraft, 97 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=5870225), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Mooney M20R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=5870225), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis During initial climb from a coastal airport for the personal flight, when the airplane was about 300 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. The private pilot ditched the airplane in the ocean near the shore. The pilot was rescued, but the airplane sank and was not recovered. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed about 7 months before the accident. The airplane's engine was overhauled about 6 months before the accident and had accrued 138 hours of operation from the time of overhaul until the accident. During that time, the oil had been changed and the filter element inspected three times with no abnormalities noted. Because the airplane was not recovered from the ocean and could not be examined, the reason for the total loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On May 9, 2017, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Mooney M20R, N20835, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was not recovered and presumed substantially damaged. The flight was destined for Charleston International Airport (CHS), Charleston, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, he departed runway 18 and began climbing on a 180° heading. About 300 feet above ground level, he "felt a strong jolt, as if something had hit [the airplane]" and a few seconds later he realized the engine had stopped. He advised the tower controller that he had a problem and performed a ditched landing straight ahead. The airplane initially remained afloat, he egressed through the cabin door, and stood on the wing until the airplane began to sink. A tour helicopter operating in the area responded and dropped a life preserver to the pilot. He was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft. Attempts by a salvage company to locate the submerged airplane were unsuccessful. According Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued July 28, 2015. The pilot reported that he had accrued 2,727 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2016, about 154 flight hours prior to the accident. The engine was overhauled in November 2016 and had accrued 138 hours since overhaul. The engine oil was changed and the oil filter element was inspected three times (January 3, February 2, and March 20, 2017) since overhaul with "no abnormalities found". The engine accrued 46 hours since the last oil change. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20835](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20835-2019-01-15), registration cancelled 2019-01-15, S/N 29-0214, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20R (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Mooney M20R](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20r) (registry code 5870225) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29-0214 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 3694 - Engines: Continental Motors IO-550-G6B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Premier Metals Recovery LLC - Registered owner: Premier Metals Recovery LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2016, 154 hours before - Departed: MYR, Myrtle Beach, SC - Destination: CHS, CHARLESTON, SC - Airport: MYR, Myrtle Beach Intl, runway 18, 9,503 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 20, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,727 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 2,625 as pilot in command, 108 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KMYR, 3 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 20170509004899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170509004899A), May 9, 2017: Mooney M20R, Myrtle Beach, SC, Substantial damage. On may 9, 2017, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Mooney M20R, N20835, was ditched in the atlantic ocean shortly after takeoff… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95142. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473918&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Excerpts From Maintenance Records (item 2, .PDF, 704 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473919&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpts%20From%20Maintenance%20Records-Master.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. --- 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.