N9201R

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 18, 2013, about 1448 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N9201R, descended and impacted terrain after takeoff from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Air McRoyal, LLC and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Youngstown, Ohio.

On August 15, 2013, the personal flight originated from Youngstown, Ohio and arrived at MKC. The airplane was parked on a ramp in front of a fixed base operator (FBO) at MKC. The president and owner of a general aviation consultant, sales, and refurbishment firm, stated that a text message from the pilot was received on August 16, 2013. The provided text message stated:

"Hey… . Just an update. ... Landed kmkc yesterday from kyng. Ran really well. Total trip time was 4:30. Not too bad. Better than spending 8 hrs in airports."

On the day of the accident, the airplane was taxied from the ramp to the airport self-serve fuel pump and 25.25 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel was obtained.

An airplane mechanic at the FBO stated that he heard the airplane engine run-up and takeoff. The run-up was "short" and was "less than a minute." He did not hear any engine power hesitations during the run-up, just a "quick" magneto check. He did not hear any power hesitation prior to the engine quitting during takeoff.

At 1946, N9201R was cleared for takeoff on runway 19 (6,827 feet by 150 feet, grooved concrete) at intersection K (runway available from intersection K was about 5,313 feet). During takeoff, N9201R reported an emergency during the climb. The airplane descended to an estimated height of 10 feet above the runway surface with the landing gear retracted. The airplane was approximately no farther than half down the runway before a second climb began and N9201R reported "I'm okay." The airplane attained an altitude of about 300-400 feet above ground level when it was observed to enter a turning stall. The airplane descended and impacted a field about 0.25 miles southwest of the departure end of runway 19. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 52, was issued a private pilot certificate on May 11, 2004, after passing a private pilot examination on his second attempt. A Cessna 172R was used for the examination and the pilot's total time at the time of the examination was 88.7 hours.

The first entry of the pilot's logbook was dated October 20, 2001, which was an "intro flight" using a Cessna 152.

Prior to February 12, 2013, logbook entries showed that the pilot had only flown Cessna 152, Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28-160 airplanes. From February 12 to February 14, 2013, the pilot received 11.4 hours of Mooney airplane training and a complex airplane endorsement under Part 61.31(e) using the accident airplane. The pilot's total flight time to date on February 14, 2013, was 289.5 hours. There were four entries after the pilot's last training flight. The last entry in the pilot's logbook was not dated and the total flight time to date was 308.7 hours, of which 30.6 hours were in Mooney airplanes.

The flight instructor, who provided the pilot's Mooney airplane training, stated that the pilot was a "pretty good pilot" and "pretty adept." He was "pretty thorough" and did not rush or hurry up and would not skip items. The pilot did "fine" and there were "no issues." The pilot did not have any flight time in retractable landing gear airplanes before he started training. He thought that it was "unusual" that the pilot did not have an airplane instrument rating.

The pilot did not have any previous Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) record of accident, incidents, or violations. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONN9201R was a 1978 Mooney M20J, serial number 24-0614, airplane was purchased by Air McRoyal, LLC (the aircraft registration application was signed by the pilot as president of McRoyal Industries, Inc. on December 14, 2012) on December 31, 2013.

The airplane was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, serial number L-19288-51A, engine. The engine was equipped with a Bendix RSA-5AD1, serial number 67270, fuel servo.

The last annual inspection of the airframe was dated January 8, 2013. A work order for the annual inspection, which was also a presale inspection, referenced an airplane total time of 2,423.84 and a tachometer time of 2,423.84. The work order for the inspection listed Item 7 with the following:

Discrepancy: Replace fuel cap O-rings

Note: Water in fuel system

Corrective Action: Replaced the fuel cap O-rings

The parts listed under Item 7 were two MS29513-010 Fuel Cap O-Rings, Small and two MS29513-338 Fuel Cap O-Rings. The work order and airframe logbook did not cite that the fuel tanks were pressurized to check for leaks of the fuel caps.

The Mooney M20J Service and Maintenance Manual, Section 28-00-01, Fuel Filler Cap Maintenance and Assembly, stated in part:

3. The sealing capability of each cap assembly should be checked periodically and at each annual inspection. This can be accomplished per the following procedures:

A. Remove cap assembly from wing filler port and inspect o'ring (1) for any damage or brittleness. Remove and replace if needed.

B. Adjust tension of shaft (2) and rotating lock plate (3) by removing cotter pin (5) from nut (6) on threaded portion of shaft (2). Tighten nut (6) so cap assembly handle (7) can be opened, turned and shut with hand pressure and still provide the necessary seal of cap assembly to keep water from entering fuel tank.

NOTE: Fuel selector should be in the OFF position before proceeding with paragraph C to pressurize the fuel tanks.

C. Connect rubber hose to each tank's vent line. Apply only one-half pound (1/2 lb.) air pressure. Check for fuel cap leaks by soaping circumference of filler cap assembly and observing bubbles. Replace o'ring if bubbles are observed and adjustment of the nut does not stop the leak.

The engine was overhauled May 22, 1992. The last annual inspection of the engine was dated January 8, 2013, at an engine total time of 2,423.84, a time since major overhaul of 1,027.25, and a tachometer time of 2,423.84. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe MKC automated surface observing system recorded at 1345: wind - 170 degrees at 7 knots, wind variable between 120 and 210 degrees; visibility - 10 statute miles. sky condition – broken at 5,000 feet above ground level, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point 14 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting - 30.12 inches of mercury.

Rain totals at MKC for August 15, 16, and 17, 2013, were recorded as: trace of precipitation or less than 0.01 inches, no precipitation, and no precipitation, respectively. There was no precipitation recorded on the day of the accident. AIRPORT INFORMATIONN9201R was a 1978 Mooney M20J, serial number 24-0614, airplane was purchased by Air McRoyal, LLC (the aircraft registration application was signed by the pilot as president of McRoyal Industries, Inc. on December 14, 2012) on December 31, 2013.

The airplane was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, serial number L-19288-51A, engine. The engine was equipped with a Bendix RSA-5AD1, serial number 67270, fuel servo.

The last annual inspection of the airframe was dated January 8, 2013. A work order for the annual inspection, which was also a presale inspection, referenced an airplane total time of 2,423.84 and a tachometer time of 2,423.84. The work order for the inspection listed Item 7 with the following:

Discrepancy: Replace fuel cap O-rings

Note: Water in fuel system

Corrective Action: Replaced the fuel cap O-rings

The parts listed under Item 7 were two MS29513-010 Fuel Cap O-Rings, Small and two MS29513-338 Fuel Cap O-Rings. The work order and airframe logbook did not cite that the fuel tanks were pressurized to check for leaks of the fuel caps.

The Mooney M20J Service and Maintenance Manual, Section 28-00-01, Fuel Filler Cap Maintenance and Assembly, stated in part:

3. The sealing capability of each cap assembly should be checked periodically and at each annual inspection. This can be accomplished per the following procedures:

A. Remove cap assembly from wing filler port and inspect o'ring (1) for any damage or brittleness. Remove and replace if needed.

B. Adjust tension of shaft (2) and rotating lock plate (3) by removing cotter pin (5) from nut (6) on threaded portion of shaft (2). Tighten nut (6) so cap assembly handle (7) can be opened, turned and shut with hand pressure and still provide the necessary seal of cap assembly to keep water from entering fuel tank.

NOTE: Fuel selector should be in the OFF position before proceeding with paragraph C to pressurize the fuel tanks.

C. Connect rubber hose to each tank's vent line. Apply only one-half pound (1/2 lb.) air pressure. Check for fuel cap leaks by soaping circumference of filler cap assembly and observing bubbles. Replace o'ring if bubbles are observed and adjustment of the nut does not stop the leak.

The engine was overhauled May 22, 1992. The last annual inspection of the engine was dated January 8, 2013, at an engine total time of 2,423.84, a time since major overhaul of 1,027.25, and a tachometer time of 2,423.84. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe main wreckage, which included the fuselage, attached wings and empennage with their respective control surfaces, engine, and propeller was located in a field about 0.25 nautical miles southwest of the departure end of runway 19 at an elevation of about 705 feet mean sea level. The airplane was oriented in an upright position and a tail to nose heading of approximately 170 degrees. The landing gear jack screw extension was consistent with the landing gear in the retract...