Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Weirton, West Virginia 26062
Friday, June 30, 1989 15:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT THE PREFLIGHT INCLUDED DRAINING FUEL TO CHECK FOR WATER AND NONE WAS FOUND. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, SHORTLY AFTER HE LEVELED AT 2300 FT MSL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON WOODED TERRAIN AND THE ACFT STRUCK SEVERAL TREES BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED WATER IN THE FUEL INJECTION SERVO UNIT, FUEL STRAINER AND ELECTRIC BOOST FUEL PUMP. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS USED DURING THE FLIGHT AND IT RUPTURED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. ABOUT 2 OUNCES OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT FULL BEFORE THE FLIGHT AND THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT IN ABOUT A MONTH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO WATER IN THE FUEL AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1535
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEIRTON
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26062
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID PIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1203
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1659
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40564
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1950Y
NTSB Number BFO89LA050
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 M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 257
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 Jun 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 2552
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER SADAUSKAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 30 WEST
Aircraft Owner City IMPERIAL
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15126
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 P64
Departure City BURGETTSTOWN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TSO
Destination City CARROLLTON
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --