Mooney M-20-C N6481U

Summary

On 19 January 1992 at about 01:10 local time, a Mooney M-20-C registered N6481U, operated by Jeffrey R. Wirgler, was involved in an accident near Santa Monica, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 January 1992 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Monica, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Monica Muni (SMO)

Coordinates

34.0093, -118.4609

Aircraft

Mooney M-20-C

Registration

N6481U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jeffrey R. Wirgler

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA094

2 people died.

FUEL CONTAMINATION BY WATER DUE TO THE; 1) FAILURE OF THE FUEL CAPS TO PROPERLY SEAL AGAINST WATER INGESTION, 2) THE PILOTS FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PERFORM A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFICIENT TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF WATER IN THE FUEL TANKS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE INADEQUATE FUEL CAP/WELL DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THE PILOTS REDUCED ABILITY TO VISUALLY SEE AND AVOID THE POWER POLE DUE TO THE PREVAILING LIGHT CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE 107 HR PVT PLT & PSGR DEPD THE ARPT FOR AN UNKNOWN DESTN. THE RECENTLY PURCHASED ACFT HADN'T FLOWN FOR SVRL MONTHS. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE & 5.5' OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN THE LAST 41 DAYS. THE ACFT WAS REFUELED IMMEDIATELY BFR DEPG & THE FUELER SAID THE PLT SAT INSIDE THE ACFT DRG REFUELING, READING A MAP. THE REFUELER DIDN'T SEE THE PLT MAKE A PREFLT INSPN. HE ALSO NOTED THE ACFT WAS VERY DIRTY. THE FUEL FILLER CAPS WERE OF THE THERMOS CAP STYLE, RECESSED INTO WELLS IN THE WING SFC. FAA SDR'S NOTED 20 INSTANCES OF WATER CONTAMINATION OF FUEL IN THIS MODEL ACFT DRG A PERIOD FROM 1/1/86 TO 9/10/92. OF THE 20 RPRTD INSTANCES, 4 WERE ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKAGE THRU LOOSE FUEL CAPS. DRG THE TAKEOFF & INITIAL CLIMB, THE PLT STATED TO THE TWR THAT 'MY ENGINE KEEPS CUTTING IN AND OUT.' HE WAS CLRD TO LND ON ANY RWY. THE PLT COMPLETED A 180 DEG TURN BACK TWD THE RWY & THE ACFT HIT A PWR POLE OFF THE END & BELOW THE RWY SFC. THE ACFT WAS CONSUMED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE. NO MECH MALFUNCTION/FAILURE WAS FND. SUNSET WAS AT 1712 PST.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.