History of Flight
On July 17, 2011, at approximately 1025 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20F, registration N3534X, crashed during a landing attempt at Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport (INW), Winslow, Arizona. A co-owner/pilot was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was a cross-country personal trip that had departed Winslow at 1000, with a planned destination of Chino, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Earlier, the pilot had landed at INW to refuel. Airport personnel added 41 gallons of 100LL Avgas. Witnesses observed the airplane depart from runway 11 heading eastbound. Another pilot inbound to land heard the accident pilot report on the Unicom frequency that he was departing runway 11 and continuing eastbound. Shortly afterward, the inbound pilot heard the accident pilot say he was returning to the airport due to a rough running engine. No further communications were received.
Ground witnesses near the airport saw the airplane in a steep turn, then descend in an uncontrolled spiral. None saw the actual impact due to terrain or visual obstructions. The airplane struck the approach end of runway 29 inverted and slid about 70 yards westward.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 35, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He had a third-class medical certificate issued on August 4, 2009, with no limitations or waivers. A biennial flight review was completed on August 27, 2010. According to his most recent medical application, the pilot reported 127 total flight hours, with 1.0 hour logged in the previous 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a Mooney M20F, serial number 670071. At the last annual inspection on August 16, 2010, the airframe had 4,776.1 total hours. The tachometer was not operational, with entries showing the same reading of 933.9. The engine was a Lycoming IO-360-A1A, serial number L-1637-51A. Time since major overhaul at the last annual inspection was 52.7 hours. Fueling records confirmed the addition of 41 gallons of 100LL Avgas on the day of the accident.
Co-owners reported that the pilot had experienced issues he attributed to water in the fuel tanks. He had previously lost engine power during takeoff but was able to restart. He had considered installing new fuel cell bladders if the problem persisted.
Wreckage and Impact
The first identified point of contact was a ground scar. The airplane impacted inverted, with fragments of the left wing tip on the right side of the approach end of runway 29. An impact mark from the right wing was near the runway centerline, and a propeller and spinner impact was midway between the wing marks. The debris path extended 65 yards along a magnetic heading of 290°. The fuselage came to rest inverted on a heading of 230°.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot, performed by the Coconino County Coroner on July 19, 2011, listed the cause of death as multiple injuries due to a plane crash, with the manner of death as accident. Toxicological testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute found no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or volatiles. The blood pressure medication Amlodipine was detected in blood and urine.
Tests and Research
Investigators examined the wreckage at Air Transport, Phoenix, Arizona, on January 17, 2012. Except for the fuel injection servo, no mechanical anomalies were identified that would have precluded normal operation. The fuel injection servo was displaced from the engine; the fracture signatures were consistent with overload. The servo and induction system were free of obstruction. Internal examination of the servo revealed debris and corrosion in the fuel inlet filter screen, diaphragm cavities, and mixture control mechanism, consistent with previous water contamination. The servo was retained for further examination. On February 2, 2012, Precision Airmotive LLC disassembled the servo and confirmed rust and corrosion throughout the unit. A bench test was not performed.