- Date
- April 15, 2012, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rosamond, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N74518Mooney M20B
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120415006159A
- Case key
- 83403
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s selection of an empty fuel tank prior to departure.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The engine lost power after takeoff and the pilot landed in a nearby field, where both wings collided with fence posts. The pilot reported that the left fuel tank was about 1/4 full and the right fuel tank was empty. He had the left fuel tank selected during start up and taxi. As he did his pre-takeoff engine run-up checks, he switched fuel tanks per his normal procedure but did not return the selector valve to the left tank prior to departure. Both wings sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The engine lost power after takeoff, and the pilot landed in a nearby field. Both wings collided with fence posts. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that the left fuel tank was about 1/4-full, and the right fuel tank was empty. He had the left fuel tank selected on start up and taxi. As he did his pretakeoff run up checks, he switched fuel tanks per his normal procedure. He did not return the selector valve to the left tank prior to departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74518
- Reported as
- Mooney M20B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1829
- Airframe hours
- 3,778
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Metzler Kevin W
- Registered owner
- Metzler Kevin W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 2011
- Departed
- L100 · Rosamond, CA
- Destination
- L100 · Rosamond, CA
- Airport
- L100 · Rosamond, runway 26
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 3, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 667 total · 279 in this make and model · 667 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KWJF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.