Mooney M20C N6953V
29 December 2001 · Gainesville, Georgia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 29 December 2001 at about 19:10 local time, a Mooney M20C registered N6953V was involved in an accident near Gainesville, Georgia, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 19:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gainesville, Georgia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL)
- Coordinates
- 34.2508, -83.8381
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C
- Registration
- N6953V
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ormond Beach → Gainsville
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL02FA026
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, resulting from fuel system blockage and improper maintenance by maintenance personnel. A factor was the unsuitable terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A witness in the local area observed the airplane rocking its wings and then nose down in a spin impacting into trees and the ground and burst into flames. The witness stated that he did not recall hearing any engine noise. Examination of the fuel selector valve found it to be selected to the left tank. Further examination of the fuel system revealed an obstruction in the right wing fuel tank supply line to the engine. The interior walls of the fuel tanks exhibited a heavy application of fuel tank sealing compound material. The left tank fuel screen assembly was removed for examination and appeared to be in a normal configuration. However, ash and unidentified debris was found within the fuel line. Examination of the right tank fuel screen assembly found it to be an unapproved parts configuration. The screen material appeared to be hand fabricated to fit the supply line. Additionally, an obstruction was located in the end of the right wing fuel tank supply line. The obstruction was removed and appeared to be a metal sleeve of unknown origin. The metal sleeve was lodged sideways within the end of the fuel line. A review of the airplane's maintenance records disclosed that the fuel tanks had undergone previous repair.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 2001 | Mooney M20C | High Springs, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jun 2001 | Mooney M20C | Tucson, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 2001 | Mooney M20C | Peckville, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 2001 | Mooney M20C | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 2001 | Mooney M20C | Netarts, Oregon, United States | Yury Avrutin | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Dec 2001 | Mooney M20C | Martinsville, Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2001 | Cessna 182Q | Ball Ground, Georgia, United States | Golden Strohmeier | No injuries | - |
| 31 Oct 2001 | Cessna 152 | Elberton, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 2001 | Piper PA-24-250 | Peachtree City, Georgia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jan 2001 | Cessna 172SP | Austell, Georgia, United States | Fulton Flight Services Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 2001 | Douglas DC-3 | Donalsonville, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 2001 | Piper PA-25-235 | Bainbridge, Georgia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |