# NTSB MIA02LA050: Mooney M20J, N201XL, Lake Placid, FL, January 17, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 17, 2002, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC) - Place: Lake Placid, FL - Coordinates: 27.289701, -81.360404 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2897&lon=-81.3604&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54031 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54031/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54031 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA050 ## Probable cause The failure of the pilot to perform a proper preflight inspection and his improper fuel tank selection for takeoff, resulting in a loss of engine power on takeoff due to fuel starvation, and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft resulting in an uncontrollable descent and collision with orange trees and terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - high vegetation - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The flight departed VFR and just as the aircraft became airborne, the engine lost power. The pilot lost directional control, and crashed into an adjacent orange grove off the left side of the runway abeam a point about 3/4 way down the 3,000 foot runway. The aircraft received substantial damage and the pilot sustained minor injuries. Postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed the right wing contained no fuel and was the fuel source selected on the fuel selector. The left wing was nearly full. A postcrash examination of the engine's fuel injection distribution block revealed no fuel. Postcrash engine run revealed a fully operational engine. The pilot performed a visual check of fuel aboard the evening prior to his early morning departure, and noted 26 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank and 32 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank. He did not perform a visual check of fuel as part of his preflight walk around inspection the morning of the accident. ## Factual narrative On January 17, 2002, about 0700 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20J, N201XL, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed into an orange grove in the vicinity of Lake Placid, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight was originating from a private airstrip 4 miles southwest of the city of Lake Placid at the time of the accident. The pilot stated by telephone from the emergency room of the Florida Hospital of Lake Placid a short time after the accident that he estimated his takeoff and crash occurred at about 0630. As to the events leading up to the crash, he stated, " All I remember is the lights on the runway. Anything after that I cannot recall." The completed NTSB form 6120. 1/2 was returned on February 1, 2001 and in the section labeled, "Recommendation (How could this accident have been prevented)", the pilot wrote, " Triple check gas supply in tank selected." During a subsequent telephone conversation on March 3, 2001, the pilot stated the time of the accident would probably be closer to 0700. He stated although the flight service station briefer recommended that VFR flight not be attempted due to existing and forecast ground fog, he could see stars overhead, and decided to depart. He acknowledged that there may have been patches of fog down the runway, although he could see runway edge lights clearly. He stated he observed 32 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank and 26 gallons in the right fuel tank on the evening prior to his early morning departure. There was no evidence of fuel leakage under the right wing during his preflight walk around inspection that morning. He did not remove the wing tank fuel caps for a visual confirmation of fuel quantity during the walk around. He stated he weighs 200 lbs., his golf bag and clubs weigh about 50 lbs., and the fuel in the left wing weighed about 188 lbs. Not knowing that the right tank was very nearly empty, the imbalance may have contributed to the left drift on takeoff and to the loss of directional control once airborne. He still had no recollection of the loss of engine power, or of the crash, itself. A Highland County Sheriff's Department deputy, the first official on the scene at 0750, stated that the orange grove is adjacent to the left and right edges of the runway, and that the runway lights existed only along the right edge of the runway. He stated the aircraft tire tracks in the grass revealed a continuous left drift during his takeoff. As to the weather conditions, he stated the fog was like "pea soup". No witnesses to the accident could be located, but numerous local personnel confirmed that foggy conditions prevailed at about 0730. According to St. Petersburg, Florida, Automated Flight Service Station personnel, at 0450 a person represented as the pilot of N201XL received a telephone weather briefing for cross-country flight legs originating from Winter Haven, Florida, with an eventual destination of Sioux City, Iowa. Because of a combination of existing and forecast reduced visibility due to fog in the Winter Haven area, the flight service briefer stated to the pilot that VFR flight was not recommended. According to an FAA inspector dispatched to the crash site, the airport's single, turf runway is oriented east/west, and the pilot was using runway 27 when the accident occurred. Tire tracks on the 3,000-foot runway revealed that the lift-off point was half way down the runway and the aircraft tracked a continuous left drift throughout the takeoff roll. Examination of the wreckage path revealed more downward than forward momentum. The propeller blades and spinner revealed no bending or evidence of power being developed at impact. The left wing fuel tank was almost full, the right fuel tank was empty, and the cockpit fuel selector was positioned to the right wing fuel tank. The inspector and responding fire rescue personnel could find evidence of very little fuel spill. Subsequent examination of the wreckage revealed the right fuel tank was compromised in the crash sequence, however, there was no evidence of fuel being contained in the right tank, precrash. The engine's fuel injection distributor block was examined and found dry. On February 28, 2001, the NTSB and a Sebring, Florida, based certified engine repair station mounted N201XL's engine, (Lycoming IO-360-A1B60, serial no. L-20719-51A) on an engine stand, and started and operated it three separate occasions. The engine started instantly and ran smoothly up to 2,500 rpm for 10 minutes. The magneto check was conducted and rpm drop was within POH limits. Oil pressure was steady at 100 psi. Engine components rendered inoperative due to the crash, and that had to be substituted or omitted for the engine run included, the propeller governor, the oil cooler, the engine driven fuel pump, two replacement intake pipes, the exhaust stacks, and the club propeller. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N201XL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201XL-2002-10-02), registration cancelled 2002-10-02, S/N 24-0497, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0497 - Airframe hours: 5000 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B60 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Francis J. Nemmers - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 2001, 50 hours before - Departed: FA60, Lake Placid, FL - Destination: MGM, Montgomery, AL - Airport: FA60, Vince's Airstrip, runway 270, 3,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 1, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 5,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: calm - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: FMY, 47 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 20020117038469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020117038469A), Jan 17, 2002: Mooney M20J, Lake Placid, FL, Destroyed. (-23) Thursday morning, 17 January 2001, at approximately 06:30 EST, father francis j. nemmers, holder of pilot certificate number 1532065 attempted to depart… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 29, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54031. 2.0 MB in all. - Report from Federal Agencies - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379411&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%20-%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379412&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies - pilot interview (item 3, .PDF, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379414&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%20-%20pilot%20interview-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.