# NTSB MIA08LA032: Mooney M20E, N5875Q, Sarasota, FL, December 26, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 26, 2007, 12:50 local (17:50 UTC) - Place: Sarasota, FL - Coordinates: 27.390556, -82.55278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.3906&lon=-82.5528&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report January 14, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67307 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA08LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67307/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08LA032 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to contamination in the fuel filter. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - maintenance,inspection - not required, other maintenance personnel - fuel system,filter - contamination (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - runway - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis After takeoff, the pilot climbed to about 300 feet, raised the landing gear and flaps, turned to a heading of 360 degrees, then turned off the fuel pump and verified that the fuel pressure was in the green arc. After 2 seconds the engine ran roughly. He turned the fuel pump back on and leveled the airplane at 400 to 500 feet. He declared an emergency, lowered the landing gear and, with the engine continuing to surge/barely run, he turned the airplane, banking about 50 to 60 degrees in an attempt to make runway 14. The airplane stalled and collided with the ground. Examination of the engine found a large amount of granular debris clogging the fuel servo filter. ## Factual narrative On December 26, 2007, at 1250 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20E, N5875Q, registered to Rime Development LLC, operated by a commercial pilot, collided with the ground following a loss of engine power during take off at the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) in Sarasota, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot stated that following the preflight check, and during his taxi, he performed an engine magneto check, cycled propeller, set trim for takeoff, turned on fuel pump and checked control movements. When given clearance for takeoff on runway 32, the pilot estimated that the airplane had been running for about 10 minutes with no discrepancies noted. After takeoff, he climbed to about 300 feet, raised the landing gear and flaps, turned to a heading of 360 degrees and turned off the fuel pump and verified that the fuel pressure was in the green arc. After 2 seconds the engine ran roughly. He turned the fuel pump back on, leveled the airplane which he estimated to be 400 to 500 feet. He declared an emergency, lowered the landing gear, and felt that his best option was to turn to land on runway 14. The engine continued to surge/barely run. He turned the airplane, banking about 50 to 60 degrees in an attempt to make runway 14. He did not hear the stall horn. He experienced a loss of airspeed while continuing to turn until the left wing contacted the ground. Examination of the airplane by the FAA on site, found 6 and one half quarts of oil remaining in the crankcase. Fuel was present at the fuel servo inlet line. Both propeller blades had equal contact damage. The starter bendix was engaged on the ring gear. The engine could be rotated and continuity was verified with the engine accessory gears. Damage to the airplane consisted of the left wing, engine firewall, and airframe structure. On April 16, 2008, at a recovery facility in Griffin, Georgia, the engine was further examined by the National Transportation Safety Board. Examination of the engine found that the engine rotated freely and had continuity through the accessory section. Examination of the servo fuel injector found a large amount of granular debris clogging the fuel servo filter. The fuel selector/gascolator filter was clean. Inspection of the engine driven fuel pump found a small amount of granular debris similar to that observed in the fuel servo filter. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5875Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5875Q-2016-09-26), registration cancelled 2016-09-26, S/N 802, built 1965 (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: 802 - Airframe hours: 5350.3 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 8, 2007, 51.1 hours before - Departed: SRQ, Sarasota, FL - Destination: BKV, Brooksville, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SRQ, Sarasota/Bradenton Intl, runway 32, 9,500 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: minor; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 1,891 total, 1,081 in this make and model, 1,300 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,200 ft broken - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SRQ 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.