Mooney M20J N201ZC
16 September 2002 · Canadaigua, New York, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 16 September 2002 at about 13:45 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N201ZC was involved in an accident near Canadaigua, New York, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Canadaigua, New York, United States
- Nearest airport
- Canadaigue (D38)
- Coordinates
- 42.9072, -77.3217
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J
- Registration
- N201ZC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Canadaigua → Lake Villa
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC02LA188
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot fueled the airplane outside, in the rain. The airplane then remained parked outside, overnight, in the rain. The pilot stated that the following morning he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane. The pilot added that during the inspection, he shook the wings, drained both fuel tanks, and did not observe any water in the fuel. He started the engine, and waited for approximately 15 minutes. The pilot then taxied to runway 31, performed a run-up, and did not observe any discrepancies. He initiated a takeoff roll on a 3,200-foot long runway, with the fuel selector positioned to the left tank. After retracting the landing gear, the pilot noticed the first indication of a power loss. The engine began to surge and the airplane settled. The pilot subsequently performed a gear-up forced landing to a field at the end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed water in the left fuel tank and fuel manifold. The reported rainfall, at a nearby airport during a 4-hour period the previous night, was 1.5 inches.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20J accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2002 | Mooney M20J | Lake Placid, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Nov 2002 | Mooney M20J | Fullerton, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Sep 2002 | Mooney M20J | Oakley, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 2002 | Mooney M20J | Chicago, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 May 2002 | Mooney M20J | Charleston, South Carolina, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 2002 | Mooney M20J | Englewood, Colorado, United States | Steven M. Potter | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May 2002 | Blanik L-13 | Saratoga Spring, New York, United States | Tim Hanke | No injuries | - |
| 4 May 2002 | Piper PA-18-150 | Middleville, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Nov 2002 | Cessna 210L | Rochester, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Nov 2002 | Socata TB-20 | Massena, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 10 May 2002 | Cessna 210 | Westhampton Bch, New York, United States | Edward Pagan | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 2002 | Cessna 310L | Virgil, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |