Mooney M20F N234GA

Summary

On 28 December 1985 at about 00:53 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N234GA was involved in an accident near San Manuel, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

28 December 1985 at 00:53

Classification

Accident

Location

San Manuel, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

San Manuel (E77)

Coordinates

33.7609, -112.6103

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N234GA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Paso → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX86LA076

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING CRUISE AT 10,500 FT MSL ON A NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT SAID THE ENG RAN ROUGH WITH MODERATE VIBRATION LEVELS. PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ABQ ARTCC, WHO VECTORED THE ACFT TO AN UNLIGHTED AIRSTRIP. THE PLT SAID HE HAD DIFFICULTYIN SEEING THE RWY IN THE DARKNESS. THE ACFT LANDED LONG, BLEW A TIRE, VEERED OFF THE RT SIDE OF THE RWY & STRUCK A TREE.EXAMINATION OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER WAS AJAR FROM THE CASE, WITH ALL THE TOP HOLD DOWN STUDS & NUTS IN PLACE BUT BENT UPWARD. THE NUTS WERE MISSING FROM THE LOWER FORE & AFT LARGE HOLD DOWN STUDS, & THE REMAINING CENTER STUDS HAD ALL FRACTURED AT THE CYLINDER FLANGE LEVEL. THE ENG WAS OVERHAULED 6 MONTHS AND 21 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE ENG STATED HIS OPINION THAT THE NUTS ON THE LOWER LARGE STUDS WERE UNDERTORQUED AT INSTALLATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.