# NTSB LAX02LA187: Mooney M20E, N1285X, Placerville, CA, June 8, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 7, 2002, 18:12 local (Jun 8, 2002, 01:12 UTC) - Place: Placerville, CA - Coordinates: 38.704723, -120.649444 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7047&lon=-120.6494&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Textron Lycoming, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54898 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54898/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54898 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA187 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis About 6 miles from the pilot's home airport, all engine power was lost. The airplane impacted trees during its approach to a landing. A witness reported observing the airplane glide in very quietly with its propeller barely turning "as if only from the wind." The witness indicated that the airplane "skipped off the ground once, as if trying to land, and then lifted back into the air again." Thereafter, the airplane came back down and crashed into a grove of trees. The accident site was about 6 miles from the pilot's destination airport. No evidence of fuel spillage was noted on the ground around the crashed airplane. Between 10 and 15 drops of fuel were found in fuel lines. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions was observed during the engine examination. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 7, 2002, about 1812 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20E, N1285X, collided with trees and hilly terrain during a forced landing following a loss of power about 6 miles east of Placerville, California. The commercial certificated pilot was the sole occupant in the airplane, which he owned and operated. The pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot's family reported that, during the accident flight, the pilot was returning home to the Placerville airport following his departure from Bridgeport, California, at an undetermined time. In a report from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department, Placerville, California, a deputy indicated that a witness had observed the accident airplane glide in very quietly with its propeller barely turning "as if only from the wind." The witness reported that the airplane "skipped off the ground once, as if trying to land, and then lifted back into the air again." Thereafter, the airplane came back down and crashed into a grove of trees. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The accident site is about 6 miles east of the Placerville Airport, and is near 38 degrees 42 minutes north latitude by 120 degrees 39 minutes west longitude. The accident site is near a road named Starkes Grade, which is adjacent to an open field. The accident airplane was found in the field imbedded in a grove of oak trees. TESTS AND RESEARCH A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector verbally reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that there was no evidence of fuel spillage on the ground around the crashed airplane. Also, he removed the airplane's fuel lines at the engine's firewall, fuel pump, and servo. The FAA inspector reported observing between 10 and 15 drops (cumulative) of fuel in these lines. The airplane was recovered from the accident site. Under the direction of the Safety Board investigator, the airplane's engine was examined by the designated Lycoming engine participant. The participant noted that the propeller blades appeared undamaged. The tip area of each blade exhibited a localized chordwise burnished appearance. The fuel pump, screens, magnetos, spark plugs, ignition harness, lubricating system, and other components were examined. The engine participant stated that, during the examination, no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions had been observed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1285X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1285X-2005-03-11), registration cancelled 2005-03-11, S/N 158, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20E - Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 158 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 200 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Donald A. Rogers - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: O57, BRIDGEPORT, CA - Destination: PVF, PLACERVILLE, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 6,100 total, 5,100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: MHR, 32 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 20020607017649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020607017649A), Jun 7, 2002: Mooney M20E, Placerville, CA, No damage. (-23) The aircraft was returning to Placerville, when according to witnesses, the engine was misfiring and the pilot was rocking the wings. The airplane… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 2, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54898. 662 KB in all. - Extract Report from El Dorado County Sheriff (item 1, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40213256&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Extract%20Report%20from%20El%20Dorado%20County%20Sheriff-Master.PDF - Textron Lycoming Report (item 2, .PDF, 271 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443784&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Textron%20Lycoming%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443785&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.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.