PHOENIX, AZ, USA
N8135E
MOONEY MK-20
A MOONEY MK 20 COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE FAILED ON CLIMB AT ABOUT 1500 FEET AGL AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED DOWNWIND. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SUSPECTED FUEL STARVATION AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE AND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 23 GALLONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THERE WAS FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT FUEL TANK, AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND AUXILLARY TANK WERE EMPTY. THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND FUEL PUMP WERE WERE TEST STAND OPERATED AND FOUND TO BE NORMAL. THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL BOOST PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR WAS SHEARED ON IMPACT AND IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF FUEL WAS BEING SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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