Mooney M20F N3274F

Summary

On 26 January 1989 at about 02:12 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N3274F was involved in an accident near Truckee, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 January 1989 at 02:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Truckee, California, United States

Nearest airport

Truckee-Tahoe (TRK)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N3274F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → San Martin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX89FA095

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE WORN FUEL INJECTOR WITH AN INTERIOR LEAK, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLT WAS OBSERVED SCRAPING ICE FROM THE WINGS OF THE ACFT. THE ENG STARTED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY & THE PLT TAXIED TO RWY 28 TO TAKEOFF AT NGT. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT TURN AFTER PASSING THE END OF THE RWY. SUDDENLY, IT ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HDG OF 140 DEG. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS WERE FLATTENED AGAINST THE MAIN SPAR & THE FUSELAGE FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE WAS BUCKLED. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENG 'STALLED' BEFORE THE ACFT STARTED A DESCENT. A TEST OF THE FUEL INJECTOR REVEALED IT HAD AN INTERIOR LEAK AROUND THE MIXTURE CONTROL BUSHING SEAL, WHICH ALLOWED UNMETERED FUEL TO ENTER THE ENG. NO OTHER MECHANICAL PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE ARPT ELEV WAS 5900'. TWO ACQUAINTANCES OF THE PLT SAID HE RPRTD A FUEL INJECTOR PROBLEM OR A FUEL MIXTURE PROBLEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.