Mooney M20J N201FD

Summary

On 19 June 2018 at about 17:50 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N201FD was involved in an accident near Monroe, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 June 2018 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Monroe, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Charlotte-Monroe Executive (EQY)

Coordinates

35.0175, -80.6219

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N201FD

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbia → Monroe

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA172

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to conduct instrument approaches; a pilot-rated passenger was on board. The pilot had completed the instrument landing system instrument approach procedure to near decision altitude in visual conditions and initiated the missed approach with a climbing right turn. He indicated that when the airplane was about 600 ft above ground level, "the engine suddenly started to falter." The pilot initiated a course reversal to conduct a forced landing on the opposite runway, but the airplane stalled just above the runway and landed hard about 45° off the runway heading. The landing gear separated, the fuselage was substantially damaged, and the airplane slid into the grass infield where it came to rest. Examination of engine and GPS track data revealed the airplane had entered a full-power climb near the approach end of the 7,001-ft runway when fuel flow and engine rpm rapidly decreased. The climb was arrested, and instead of continuing straight ahead, the airplane entered a descending right turn. About 30 seconds into the descent, the last GPS position was recorded about 3,200 ft down the runway, 1,100 ft right of centerline, at an altitude of 1,023 ft. An engine start attempted at the airport shortly after the accident was unsuccessful; however, after the airplane was recovered to a recovery facility, the engine was successfully started and run on the airframe using the airplane's own fuel system. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.