Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roswell, New Mexico 88201
Friday, August 3, 1990 11:47 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT SAID HE HAD 52 GALS FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE DEPARTED EL PASO, TX, EN ROUTE TO ROSWELL, NM ON PRACTICE X-COUNTRY FLT. HE MADE TWO PRACTICE ILS APCHS AT ROSWELL, THEN STARTED CLIMBING TOWARDS ROSWELL VORTAC, EN ROUTE BACK TO EL PASO. AS HE REACHED 4500 FEET MSL, ENG LOST PWR. PLT TURNED BACK TOWARDS ROSWELL, ESTABLISHED GLIDE, AND DECLARED EMERG. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENG BUT HAD NO SUCCESS. REALIZING HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALT TO REACH ARPT, PLT MADE INTENTIONAL WHEELS-UP LANDING ON SOFT, IRREGULAR TERRAIN. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED FUEL SELECTOR WAS BETWEEN OFF AND RIGHT TANK DETENTS. FUEL SUPPLY LINE WAS DISCONNECTED. WHEN MASTER AND BOOST PUMP SWITCHES WERE TURNED ON, NO FUEL CAME OUT. WHEN FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED COMPLETELY TO RIGHT TANK, STILL NO FUEL CAME OUT. WHEN FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED TO LEFT TANK, FUEL POURED OUT OF FUEL SUPPLY LINE. EXAMINATION OF INTACT FUEL TANKS REVEALED LEFT TANK CONTAINED FUEL; RIGHT TANK DID NOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INTENTIONAL WHEELS UP LANDING IN SOFT TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS, IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR DURING ATTEMPTED RESTARTS, AND THE SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1147
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ROSWELL
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88201
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3669
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ROW
Elevation of weather observation facility 3669
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 632
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1319
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41636
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5677Q
NTSB Number DEN90LA167
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 M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3037
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, GEORGE F.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6208 LLANO WAY
Operator City EL PASO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79904
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 ELP
Departure City EL PASO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --