History of Flight
On February 28, 2009, at 0905 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20E, registration N3463X, collided with the ground shortly after takeoff from Rio Linda airport in Rio Linda, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Witness Information
Witnesses on and around the airport reported hearing the engine sputtering and seeing smoke emanating from the engine. They then observed the airplane enter a spin and impact the ground, followed by a fire. A witness who was a part owner in the airplane and was videotaping the flight stated that as the airplane passed overhead, he heard popping and sputtering followed by a puff of black smoke from the right rear of the engine. The same witness reported that the accident flight was the first flight following an annual inspection, which included installation of a field major overhauled engine and tail section.
Videotape Evidence
The witness/part owner submitted a videotape of the accident flight. It showed engine start and run-up at the hangar, a high-speed taxi brake check, the takeoff roll and climb out, and a turn back toward the runway. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) reviewed the videotape and observed no problems during startup or high-speed taxi. However, a popping sound was heard as the pilot added power during the takeoff roll. After liftoff, the engine surged, followed by a puff of black smoke. Another video from Rio Linda Junior High School, located at the departure end of the runway, showed the airplane on initial climb-out, then making a left turn back toward the runway. The airplane's nose and left wing dropped, and it began to spin before going out of camera view.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 53, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and single-engine sea, as well as a mechanic certificate with airframe and power plant ratings. He held a first-class medical certificate issued on January 29, 2009, with a limitation requiring glasses for near vision. He reported 841 total flight hours on his most recent medical application; a pilot logbook was not available for review.
The mechanic/passenger, aged 54, held a mechanic certificate with airframe and power plant ratings and an inspection authorization (IA) certificate. He also held a combined student pilot and third-class medical certificate issued on June 27, 2008, at which time he reported 340 flight hours. The medical certificate required corrective lenses.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1966 Mooney M20E, serial number 1143. The last annual inspection was dated May 5, 2007, at a total time of 3,715.52 hours. The engine, a Lycoming IO-360-A1A (serial number L-2302-51A), was installed on May 26, 1969, at 910 total hours. The last 100-hour inspection was dated May 5, 2007, at a total time of 664.72 hours since major overhaul. According to records, a repaired crankcase was shipped to the mechanic from Divco, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 10, 2008, and various engine parts were shipped in September and October 2008.
Wreckage and Impact
The entire airplane came to rest adjacent to the airport at the Roy Hayer Memorial Speedway. The accident site coordinates were latitude 38 degrees 40.770 minutes north, longitude 121 degrees 26.779 minutes west, elevation 41 feet. The cockpit, cabin, and empennage were thermally destroyed in the post-impact fire. Fire damage was noted to the tail section and both wings. Both wings were crushed from leading to trailing edge. The left wing center section was thermally destroyed. The right wing remained intact with sooting at the center section. The engine remained attached to the firewall, and the propeller assembly remained connected to the engine.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Sacramento County Coroner completed an autopsy on the pilot on March 1, 2009, listing the manner of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team found no carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, or tested drugs. The Sacramento County Coroner completed an autopsy on the mechanic/passenger on March 2, 2009, also listing the manner of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Chest blood was retained for toxicology testing.
Test and Research Information
An examination of the airframe and engine was conducted at Plain Parts, Sacramento, California, on March 2, 2009. No anomalies were found with the flight control system. Visual examination of the engine revealed no obvious mechanical malfunctions. Mechanical and drive train continuity was established through manual rotation of the crankshaft, and thumb compression was obtained. The fuel fitting connection between the firewall and fuel pump line was tight, but the fuel pump to servo line hose was loose in the fitting at the servo. The oil filter hose to fitting was loose, but the fitting to oil filter connection was secure. The fuel pump was mostly consumed by fire.
Both magnetos remained attached to their mounting pads but sustained thermal damage. The right magneto rotated freely but produced no spark; the left magneto would not rotate due to fire damage. Spark plugs appeared normal. All four cylinders were removed and inspected; no detonation, debris, piston damage, stuck valves, internal connecting rod damage, thermal discoloration, or bent push rods were found. The oil pick-up screen and fuel servo inlet screen were clear. The fuel flow divider diaphragm was undamaged and free of debris. Fuel injectors were clear.
According to the Lycoming representative, there were no abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. The propeller assembly remained attached with the spinner crushed and torn. The propeller governor was broken at the flange at the accessory housing. Propeller blades were bent aft at the hub with scratch marks. Fuel lines, hoses, and the fuel pump were sent to the NTSB metallurgical laboratory. One fuel line was identified as a Stratoflex 111; the hoses had a rubber interior and were thermally damaged, preventing determination of pre-existing damage. The fuel pump sustained heavy fire damage, with the outer aluminum case melted and sections missing, likely consumed by fire. Due to fire damage, determination of pre-existing mechanical failures or malfunctions was not possible.