Accident Overview
On April 6, 2015, at 1256 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J airplane, registration N4826H, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport (XLL), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot and a passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight History
The flight originated from Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) around 1230. According to the pilot, a preflight inspection included visually checking fuel quantities: approximately 25 gallons in the left tank and 7 to 8 gallons in the right tank. After a normal engine start and run-up with the fuel selector positioned to the left tank, the pilot departed to XLL for takeoff and landing practice. On the fourth takeoff, about 30 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of 400 to 500 feet above the runway, the engine ceased operating. The pilot described the power loss as an instantaneous stop without warning or sputtering. He executed a forced landing straight ahead, during which the aircraft struck a wire-mesh fence supported by steel poles.
Post-Accident Examination
An initial examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector approximately 30 minutes after the accident found substantial damage to both wings and a collapsed nose gear. No fuel leakage was observed, and the fuel selector was in the "off" position. The throttle, propeller, and fuel-mixture controls were all fully forward. A further examination the following day revealed approximately 4 to 5 gallons of fuel in the right tank and 8 to 12 gallons in the left tank. The fuel line from the engine-driven fuel pump to the fuel servo was dry. When the fuel line from the boost pump to the engine-driven pump was disconnected and the boost pump activated, fuel emerged in a pulsating spray, indicating air in the line. The aircraft had a total fuel capacity of 64 gallons (61 usable). No mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation were identified.