# NTSB NYC99LA093: Mooney M20E, N1987Y, Brooksville, KY, April 17, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 17, 1999, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Brooksville, KY - Coordinates: 38.680965, -84.060928 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6810&lon=-84.0609&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report August 3, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46153 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46153/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA093 ## Probable cause Contaminated fuel which resulted in the forced landing, and a heart attack from an adrenaline rush that interacted with preexisting coronary disease which resulted in the pilot's death. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - contamination (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - miscellaneous, pilot in command - incapacitation(cardiovascular), pilot in command (cause) - pressure induced by conditions/events, pilot in command (contributing factor) - physiological condition, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot purchased the airplane on the day of the accident, and added 45 gallons of fuel to it. He took four samples of fuel from the left tank before it was free of water. No contamination was found in the right tank. After takeoff the engine ran rough and the pilot returned to the airfield. On the ground the engine smoothed out, and the pilot departed again, stopped once for minor maintenance, then continued on. En route, the fuel pressure dropped, and the engine began running rough again. The pilot could not maintain altitude, and executed a forced landing to a road. The pilot deplaned, talked to several people, and made a telephone call. Afterwards, the pilot said he felt cold and faint, then collapsed, and could not be revived. During inspection of the airplane's fuel system, about 3 ounces of dirty water were drained from the left wing. Fuel from the right wing was free of contaminants. Fuel injector lines initially produced fuel that was rust-colored, with water in it. Filtered fuel left a pink, paraffin-like residue. An autopsy revealed the pilot had an enlarged heart, and severe coronary arteriosclerosis with arteriosclerotic heart disease. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 1999, about 1730 Eastern Daylight Time, a Mooney M20E, N1987Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a road near Brooksville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot survived the landing without apparent injury, but collapsed and died shortly thereafter. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the flight from Marshall County Airport (74D), Moundsville, West Virginia, to Bowman Field (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, a witness, who was also a pilot, stated that the accident pilot had purchased the airplane on the day of the accident. The two pilots arrived at the airport between 1330 and 1400, and the accident pilot had 45 gallons of fuel added to the airplane. During the preflight, he had difficulty in removing the left wing-tank fuel cap, which appeared to be of a different type than right wing-tank fuel cap. He took four samples of fuel from the left tank before it was free of water. No water or discoloration was found in the fuel samples taken from the right tank The airplane first took off about 1500. However, on climbout, the engine starting running rough, so the pilot returned to the airfield. Once on the ground, the engine smoothed out, and the pilot took off again, around 1525. With the witness's airplane in trail, the two flew across Ohio, stopping once to secure a fastener on the accident airplane. Approaching the Kentucky border, the accident pilot radioed to the witness that his fuel pressure was going down to zero, that he had a rough running engine, and that he was going to make a precautionary landing on a road. The witness suggested selecting the other fuel tank, and the pilot replied that he would. The witness was not aware of which fuel tank was being used when the engine started running rough. He also noted that the engine never completely quit, but that the pilot could not maintain altitude with the power that was being produced. Several witnesses on the ground reported that during the airplane's approach to the road, it hit a transmission line and a horse trailer. The airplane then landed hard on the pavement, and "sparks were flying," before it came to a stop. After deplaning, the pilot talked to a number of people, then borrowed a cellular telephone to make a call. As soon as he completed the call, about 15 minutes after the accident, he said he felt cold and faint. He then collapsed and could not be revived. Inspection of the accident site revealed three parallel gouge marks in the roadway, perpendicular to the direction of travel. The first and second marks were 16 inches apart, while the second and third marks were 12 inches apart. Inspection of the propeller revealed chordwise scratching, and that the propeller tips were curled. The airplane's fuel system was checked, and initially, about 3 ounces of dirty water were drained from the left wing. The fuel from the right wing was blue, and free of water and debris. The fuel boost pump was operated several times with the fuel injector lines disconnected, and the fuel directed into clear jars. The first time, the injector lines produced fuel that was rust-colored, with water in it. Later, the fuel was directed into coffee filters, which resulted in a pink, paraffin-like residue remaining on the filters. A review of the airplane's maintenance records indicated that the latest annual inspection was completed on April 5, 1999, with a tachometer time of 2598.0 hours. At the time of the accident, the tachometer registered 2600.0 hours. Previous maintenance was performed in November, 1997, at tachometer time 2597.0, and the last previous annual was completed in August, 1993, at tachometer time 2595.0. When the pilot applied for his most recent FAA Second Class Medical Certificate on June 22, 1998, he stated that he had 9,854 hours of flight time. An autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the Northern Kentucky Regional Medical Examiners' Office, Fort Thomas, Kentucky. It revealed that, in the opinion of the medical examiner, the pilot "died in acute cardiac failure due to left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart and severe coronary arteriosclerosis with arteriosclerotic heart disease." Toxicological testing was performed by the FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was negative except for atropine detected in the blood. On May 17, 1999, the airplane was released to the pilot's sister. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1987Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1987Y), registered now, S/N 274, built 1964 (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: 274 - Airframe hours: 2600 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jerry D. Warren - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 1999, 2 hours before - Departed: 74D, MOUNDSVILLE, WV - Destination: LOU, LOUISVILLE, KY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 9,860 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: CVG, 35 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 19990417045399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990417045399A), Apr 17, 1999: Mooney M20E, Brooksville, KY, No damage. (-23)See attached ## Other investigations on N1987Y (2) 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. - [NTSB CHI84LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI84LA109), Feb 11, 1984: Mooney M20E (N1987Y), Cleveland, OH, substantial damage - [NTSB UNK64X2462](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK64X2462), Jun 24, 1964: Mooney MK20E (N1987Y), Hugo, OK, substantial damage 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.