Mooney M20F N9705M

Summary

On 8 April 1989 at about 18:00 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N9705M, operated by Joseph Leyva, was involved in an accident near Prescott, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 April 1989 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Prescott, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Ernest A Love Field (PRC)

Coordinates

34.6195, -112.4207

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N9705M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Joseph Leyva

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Winslow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89LA151

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PLT TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE FOR THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE OPERATING PROCEDURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 5,042 FEET, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7,600 FEET. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THEY HAD ABORTED THE FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT BECAUSE THE ENGINE RPM WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR TAKEOFF. ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND FLEW IN GROUND EFFECT. THE ENGINE RPM WAS INSUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID POWERLINES. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE CFI DID NOT LEAN THE MIXTURE FOR TAKEOFF. HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE CARBURETOR HAD AN AUTO-LEAN FEATURE AND HE DID NOT HAVE TO LEAN THE MIXTURE. THE IO-360 ENGINE IS FUEL INJECTED AND DOES NOT HAVE AUTO-LEAN. POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF NORMAL OPERATION WITH FUEL MIXTURE PROPERLY SET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.