Service difficulty report · Fuel Tank · Mooney M20J

Difficulty date
February 15, 2012
Submitted
April 6, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N201SN
Make and model
Mooney M20J
Aircraft serial
240319
Engine
Lyc IO360A1B6
Propeller
Mcauly B2D34C212
Part
Fuel Tank
Part number
240319
Condition
Leaking
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

THIS ACFT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPAIRED TO CORRECT FUEL LEAKS. EVERY DRAIN HOLE HAS BEEN COVERED UP ALLOWING WATER AND FUEL TO BE TRAPPED IN THE OTBD BAYS. ALSO THE DRAIN VALVE RECEPTACLE DRAIN HOLES WERE COVERED WITH SEALANT CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT UP TO .5" BEFORE IT COULD BE REMOVED OVER THE TOP OF THE RECEPTACLE, INSTEAD OF THE BOTTOM. THIS ACFT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE ON TAKEOFF. MOST LIKELY WATER INGESTION. UPON OPENING THE TANKS, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER WAS FOUND STILL IN THE TANKS, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER WAS FOUND STILL IN THE TANKS EVEN AFTER COMPLETE DRAINING. A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS STILL TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE FUEL BAY. HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

More about the Mooney M20J