Mooney M20K N32DG

Summary

On 25 October 1996 at about 21:15 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N32DG, operated by Jack B. Healan, JR., was involved in an accident near Amelia Island, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 October 1996 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Amelia Island, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Fernandina Beach Muni (55J)

Coordinates

30.6494, -81.4393

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N32DG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jack B. Healan, JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Kissimmee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL97LA009

2 people were seriously injured.

inadequate maintenance/inspection, which resulted in a failure to detect and correct moisture contamination of the left magneto; and/or improper adjustment of the engine fuel pump output, which resulted in excessive fuel pressure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the climb after takeoff, the engine began to run rough, then lost power. According to the pilot, he turned on the boost pump, and the engine quit. The pump was turned off, the engine surged, then quit again. During a forced landing, the airplane struck trees, then came to rest on a street. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed corrosion in the left magneto, which was indicative of moisture contamination of the magneto that may have resulted in a loss of power. Additionally, the engine driven fuel pump pressure was set high, which would have resulted in a rich mixture, when the boost pump was activated. The engine had been equipped with pressure type, Slick Electro Model 6224 magnetos. A service bulletin, applicable to another aircraft manufacturer, had been issued by the magneto manufacturer to inspect the pressurized magnetos each 100 hours for evidence of moisture contamination. The same information was contained in the magneto maintenance and overhaul manual. The airplane was maintained under an annual inspection program, with no intervening 100 hour inspections; 159 hours of flight time had been accumulated since the last annual inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.