Summary
On October 13, 2010, a Mooney M20E (N5743Q) was involved in an accident near New Smyrna Beach, FL. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to water contaminated fuel.
According to the pilot, the airplane sat for an extended period of time due to a propeller strike. The owner of the airplane received a ferry permit to have the airplane flown to another airport for repairs. Before the flight, the pilot completed a preflight inspection and engine run-up, and did not notice any anomalies. During the initial climb, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. The airplane impacted the ground on the east side of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel was contaminated with water. The right and left tanks were drained and about 1 pint of water was captured from each fuel tank.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA020. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5743Q.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to water contaminated fuel.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
According to the pilot, the airplane sat for an extended period of time due to a propeller strike. The owner of the airplane received a ferry permit to have the airplane flown to another airport for repairs. Before the flight, the pilot completed a preflight inspection and engine run-up, and did not notice any anomalies. During the initial climb, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. The airplane impacted the ground on the east side of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel was contaminated with water. The right and left tanks were drained and about 1 pint of water was captured from each fuel tank. In a telephone interview with the pilot, he recalled that during the preflight inspection, he did sump the fuel tanks, but did not notice any water in them.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA020