Mooney M20 Safety Record

the pilot's decision to exhaust the fuel supply in the selected tank in-flight, and his failure to maintain the minimum stall speed during engine out conditions. This resulted in a complete loss of engine power and the inadvertent stall and impact with the ground. A factor in this accident was the inadequate altitude in which the pilot exhausted the fuel.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE UNTIL THE PUBLISHED APPROACH FIX. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT FATIGUE, LOW CEILINGS, OBSCURATION, AND FOG.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING CLIMBOUT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE CROSSWIND RESULTING IN NOT MAINTAINING ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING. THE CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR.

inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and the inadequate fuel supply for the flight. Factors related to the accident were the ditch and the quantity gage which gave a false indication.

THE FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. FACTORS WERE THE PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AT THE PILOT'S DISPOSAL FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

FAILURE OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH THE PROPER DESCENT PATH TO AN AIRPORT THAT WAS WITHIN THE GLIDE DISTANCE OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE OVERGROSS WEIGHT CONDITION OF THE AIRPLANE.

FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE FIRST PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO ASSURE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT BY REFERENCE TO THE INSTRUMENTS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE LEFT SEAT.

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNDESIRABLE ENGINE/PROPELLER VIBRATION, AND THE LOOSE CRANKCASE AND CYLINDER BASE NUTS.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO ASSURE THAT AMPLE FUEL WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT. THE GENERATOR FAILURE AND AN INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

WAS THE LOOSE THROTTLE CABLE, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE.

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 EXHAUST VALVE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE TO EXECUTE THE FORCED LANDING.

POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND ICING CONDITIONS. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SELECTED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, DARK NIGHT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

was an aborted takeoff not performed by the pilot-in-command. Factors related to the accident were the partial power loss for undetermined reasons and the continued operation of the airplane with a deficiency.

was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, resulting in the airplane impacting with the water. Also casual in this accident was the pilot's total lack of experience in this type of aircraft, and operations. A factor in this accident was the lack of visual reference with the horizon as result of the dark night.

THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN LIMITS (AIRSPEED AND/OR STRESS LIMITS) AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A DESCENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS (NIGHT OR LATE DUSK), THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY FROM A STALL.