# NTSB NYC94LA044: Mooney 20E, N31617, Linden, NJ, December 24, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 23, 1993, 19:00 local (Dec 24, 1993, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Linden, NJ
- Location: 40.6174° N, 74.2446° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LINDEN (LDJ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6174&lon=-74.2446&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 13, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38724
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA044
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38724/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38724
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA044

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH FAILED TO DETECT WATER-CONTAMINATED FUEL AND RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, climb
  - fluid,fuel - contamination (contributing factor)
  - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Gear not extended, landing
  - terrain condition - runway
  - landing gear - not selected, pilot in command

## Analysis

JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.  HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.  THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED 'LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER,' FOUND IN THE FUEL INJECTORS, GASCOLATOR, MAIN FUEL LINE, AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.

## Factual narrative

On December 23, 1993, about 0930 eastern standard time, a Mooney 23E, N31617, piloted by Mr. John Sanford, collided with the terrain during a forced landing at the Linden Airport, Linden, New Jersey.  The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed.  The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.

The airplane had just departed the airport, and at an altitude of 300 feet the airplane's engine lost total power.  The pilot elected to land back on the runway with the landing gear retracted.

The FAA took fuel samples and according to FAA Inspector, Victor Roxas's written report, fuel taken from the injectors, "revealed large quantities of water."  Fuel samples taken from the gascolater, main fuel lines, aft of the mechanical pump, and the left fuel tank, "...also revealed large quantities of water."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N31617](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N31617), registered now, S/N 515, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY 20E
- 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: 2A3
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: John Sanford
- Registered owner: Ted Meblaghlin
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: JZI, CHARLESTON, SC
- Airport: LDJ, Linden Municipal, runway 9, 4,139 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 27; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 547 total, 145 in this make and model, 547 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 36 °F

## 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 19931223051289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931223051289A), Dec 23, 1993: Mooney M20E, Linden, NJ, Substantial damage. Engine quit after liftoff. Landed remaining runway gear up. Water in entire fuel system.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38724. 395 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 333 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460000&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Reports from Federal Agencies (item 2, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460001&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-Master.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.

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