Mooney M20B N74786

Summary

On 24 March 2021 at about 06:21 local time, a Mooney M20B registered N74786 was involved in an accident near Animas, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 March 2021 at 06:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Animas, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Fort Stockton-Pecos County (FST)

Coordinates

32.0779, -108.7278

Aircraft

Mooney M20B

Registration

N74786

Category

Airplane

Year built

1961

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ft Stockton → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR21LA141

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s delayed use in the operation of carburetor heat which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a night instrument flight rules cross-country flight, the airplane encountered weather that included clouds and icing conditions. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to run rough and lose power; radar contact was lost, and the airplane was located in mountainous terrain. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions reported at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at cruise power settings. The pilot reported that, during a climb into clouds, with the carburetor heat off, the engine began to run rough and was losing rpms before he applied carburetor heat. Therefore, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated during the climb, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.