Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ferncliff, Virginia 23093
Sunday, December 28, 1997 12:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was in cruise flight at 10,500 feet when the engine began to run rough. The pilot said after 30 seconds the engine seized and would not turn over. The airplane was 4 miles east of an airport at the time of the power loss, however, the pilot chose to turn towards an airport 20 miles to the north because it appeared on the 'Nearest Airport' display of the Loran equipment on board the airplane. The pilot determined he would not reach the intended airport and performed a forced landing to a field. Removal of the engine cowling revealed an oil soaked engine compartment and that 2 quarts of oil remained in the sump. The oil temperature probe was free of the engine case; attached only to the electrical lead. The threaded portion of the probe and its corresponding attachment point on the engine were undamaged. The probe's copper 'crush' washer displayed evidence of compression, however, no evidence of safety wire was found on the probe or the engine case. The engine was overhauled 30 days and 10 flight hours prior to the accident. The oil temperature probe was an airframe item that was removed and reinstalled after the engine overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper installation of the engine oil temperature probe which resulted in oil starvation and a total loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's overflight of available airports in an effort to reach the 'Nearest Airport' displayed on his loran equipment during the subsequent forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FERNCLIFF
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23093
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 12
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID CHO
Elevation of weather observation facility 641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1559
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9717M
NTSB Number NYC98LA056
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 670277
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Nov 21 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RANDY LEE JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10237 SKYLINE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City WAKEFIELD
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23888
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 AKQ
Departure City WAKEFIELD
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --