Mooney M20J N4538H

Summary

On 25 August 1996 at about 22:09 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N4538H was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 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 August 1996 at 22:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lubbock International (LBB)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N4538H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Las Cruces

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96LA357

1 person had minor injuries.

inadequate maintenance by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power when the magneto disengaged from the engine. A related factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a climb to cruise, between 5,000 and 6,000 feet msl, on an IFR flight in VMC, the pilot 'declared an emergency due to his engine cutting out and he had a little manifold pressure/RPM.' The pilot tried to reach Reese AFB about 3 to 4 miles away; however, the airplane landed short of the airport in a cotton field. During the landing roll, the right main gear collapsed, and the right wing separated from the airframe at the forward attachment point. During a postaccident examination, an FAA inspector found that both of the magneto retention nuts that held the single drive magneto to the engine had loosened, and the magneto became disengaged from its drive gear. Maintenance records revealed that the magneto was overhauled and reinstalled during an engine overhaul on April 12, 1996. The airplane had flown 120 hours since the installation. According to the FAA inspector, the 'magneto was installed with the correct hardware.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.