# NTSB NYC83FA256: Mooney M20F, Burlington, VT, September 24, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: September 24, 1983, 13:17 local (17:17 UTC)
- Place: Burlington, VT
- Location: 44.4720° N, 73.1533° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PATRICK LEAHY BURLINGTON INTL (BTV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4720&lon=-73.1533&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 3 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35085
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC83FA256
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35085/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC83FA256

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb
  - fuel system,cap - deteriorated (cause)
  - maintenance - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause)
  - condition(s)/step(s) insufficiently defined, manufacturer (cause)
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - fuel system,cap - leak (cause)
  - fluid,fuel - water (cause)
  - fuel system,tank - inadequate (cause)
  - acft/equip,inadequate airframe, production/design personnel (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
- On ground/water collision with object, other
  - object - aircraft parked/standing

## 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 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 22-0036
- Airframe hours: 1865
- Engines: 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.

- Pilot; age 27; 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

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.

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