- Date
- August 1, 1991, 19:57 local (Aug 2, 1991, 02:57 UTC)
- Place
- Riverside, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5819QMooney M20E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910801031189A
- Case key
- 27314
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 contamination of fuel in the right tank of the accident airplane with an unknown oil-like substance.
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
The certificated private pilot and a passenger departed on a local area flight. When the airplane reached about 400 feet above the ground, the engine suddenly began to run rough and lose power. The pilot executed a 180 degree turn to return to the airport. While on final approach the pilot noticed an airplane landing on the runway and another occupying the taxiway on which he had planned an emergency landing. The pilot extended his approach and landed in a field east of the airport. The airplane was substantially damaged and the occupants received minor injuries. No malfunction of the engine was found. An examination of the fuel revealed that fuel in the right fuel tank was contaminated with an undetermined amount of a lubricating oil-like substance. No engine or fuel system problems involving fuel obtained from the fuel vendor were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5819Q
- Reported as
- Mooney M20E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 775
- Airframe hours
- 3,484
- Engine
- Lycoming I0-360A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Todd Dreyer
- Registered owner
- Todd Dreyer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1991 · 30 hours before
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 112 total · 22 in this make and model · 72 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.