Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB WPR11FA331
MOONEY M20F — Winslow, AZ
| Date | July 17, 2011 |
| Location | Winslow, AZ |
| Aircraft | MOONEY M20F |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 35 |
| Pilot total time | 127 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Water-Not specified
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Pilot
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
What happened
During a cross-country flight, the pilot landed at the accident airport to refuel. After the airplane was refueled, witnesses saw the airplane depart toward the east. After takeoff, the pilot advised via radio that he was returning to the airport due to a rough running engine. Witnesses near the airport saw the airplane make a steep turn and then descend into an uncontrolled spiral. The airplane impacted in an inverted position at the departure end of the runway and slid about 65 yards. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed that the fuel injector servo had a substantial amount of rust and contamination inside the unit. The pilot had an issue with water contamination in the fuel system previously and suspected that he needed to replace the fuel bladders.