- Date
- September 24, 1983, 13:17 local (17:17 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, VT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- CGOELMooney M20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- Case key
- 35085
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Acft had been parked on ramp at syracuse for aprx 5 days with partially full tanks & exposed to rainy wx. According to the plt, there was no evidence of water during preflight. Plt taxied to another area where 40 gals of fuel was added. Flt from syracuse to Burlington was uneventful. No services were obtained at Burlington but 1 qt of oil was added. Aftera ground time of about 2 hrs, a takeoff was initiated for the return flt to syracuse. Witnesses reported the eng lost power at about 100 ft AGL. Acft then entered a stall/spin, crashed & collided with a helicopter. Water was found in eng driven fuel pump, line from pump to fuel servo, fuel servo, line to manifold valve & injector nozzles. Fuel selector was at left tank position. Left tank was damaged & exposed to fire fighting agent so presence of water could not be measured. Left fuel cap was deteriorated & there was evidence it had allowed water to leak into the tank. Fuel tank had three bays. Water could become trapped at rear inboard corner of outer tank bay.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGOEL
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-0036
- Airframe hours
- 1,865
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hancock Aero Club
- Registered owner
- William D. Stewart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 1, 1983 · 19 hours before
- Destination
- SYR · Syracuse, NY
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BTV · Burlington International, runway 19, 3,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 542 total · 4 in this make and model · 462 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BTV