Sycamore Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Worth, Texas 76180
Saturday, April 3, 1993 14:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE POWER DECREASED TO A LEVEL THAT WOULD NOT SUSTAIN THE CLIMB. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AVAILABLE TERRAIN, ROUGH AND UNEVEN. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS AND THAT THE ELECTRICAL FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS NOT DELIVERING SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES OF FUEL DURING HIGH POWER SETTINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND RESULTANT DISCREPANCIES. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FORT WORTH
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76180
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SYCAMORE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9F9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 760
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2100
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 98
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47307
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9337M
NTSB Number FTW93LA116
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 1269
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 Jul 5 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 4571
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAWSON, CHARLES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6520 VICTORIA AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAWSON, CHARLES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6520 VICTORIA AVENUE
Operator City FORT WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76180
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 9F9
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1439
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 17
Runway Length 3950
Runway Width 32
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --