Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brooksville, Kentucky 41004
Saturday, April 17, 1999 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot purchased the airplane on the day of the accident, and added 45 gallons of fuel to it. He took four samples of fuel from the left tank before it was free of water. No contamination was found in the right tank. After takeoff the engine ran rough and the pilot returned to the airfield. On the ground the engine smoothed out, and the pilot departed again, stopped once for minor maintenance, then continued on. En route, the fuel pressure dropped, and the engine began running rough again. The pilot could not maintain altitude, and executed a forced landing to a road. The pilot deplaned, talked to several people, and made a telephone call. Afterwards, the pilot said he felt cold and faint, then collapsed, and could not be revived. During inspection of the airplane's fuel system, about 3 ounces of dirty water were drained from the left wing. Fuel from the right wing was free of contaminants. Fuel injector lines initially produced fuel that was rust-colored, with water in it. Filtered fuel left a pink, paraffin-like residue. An autopsy revealed the pilot had an enlarged heart, and severe coronary arteriosclerosis with arteriosclerotic heart disease.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Contaminated fuel which resulted in the forced landing, and a heart attack from an adrenaline rush that interacted with preexisting coronary disease which resulted in the pilot's death.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BROOKSVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41004
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID CVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 869
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 285
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1987Y
NTSB Number NYC99LA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 274
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2600
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY D. WARREN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9114 U.S. HWY 42
Aircraft Owner City PROSPECT
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40059
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 74D
Departure City MOUNDSVILLE
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1525
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LOU
Destination City LOUISVILLE
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --