Sussex County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Georgetown, Delaware 19947
Sunday, May 18, 2014 9:59 EDT

On May 18, 2014, at 0959 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N200DP, was substantially damaged when it collided with power lines and terrain following a total loss of engine power while on approach to Sussex County Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware. The airline transport pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Woodbine Municipal Airport (OBI), about 0935. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that his was one airplane in a flight of four to GED in order to purchase fuel and have brunch. He estimated the 40-mile flight would consume approximately 6 gallons of fuel and he estimated there was "15 to 20 gallons" on board at departure. The en route portion of the flight was flown at 4,500 feet and the pilot entered a left downwind leg for landing on Runway 04. The downwind leg was extended due to traffic, and while on downwind the pilot switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, lowered the landing gear, moved the propeller lever to "full," completed "landing checks" and turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern. According to the pilot, "I'm on base to final slowing to 100 knots, and I'm overshooting the runway centerline, I turned a little steeper, rolled level, added power and there was nothing there. The RPM was basically back to flight idle. The RPM just stayed around 1,000 rpm, I increased throttle, got no response, and switched tanks again. I saw the fence but I did not see the wires. I thought I had the field made, and I might have landed a little short of the pavement, but I still had 80-90 knots." The airplane collided with wires and terrain on the airport boundary. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine, and a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued on April 30, 2011. He reported 5,000 total hours of flight experience of which 400 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1979. According to the owner, its most recent annual inspection was completed June 10, 2013, and the airplane had accrued 91 hours since that date. He estimated the airplane had accrued 3,000 total aircraft hours. At 0954, the weather conditions reported at GED included a broken ceiling at 7,500 feet, visibility 10 miles, temperature 16 degrees C, dewpoint 6 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.22 inches of mercury. The wind was from 010 degrees at 6 knots. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site and moved onto GED airport property where it was secured for examination at a later date. During recovery, approximately 7 gallons of fuel was recovered, but the exact amounts recovered from each wing tank could not be determined. Examination of photographs revealed substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, empennage, and tail sections.

Not Yet Reported