Accident Narrative
On December 14, 2015, about 1341 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20E, N5863Q, experienced a partial loss of engine power during takeoff from Corona Municipal Airport (AJO), Corona, California. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The intended destination was Chino Airport (CNO), Chino, California.
The pilot reported that this was the first flight after the airplane had undergone a new paint application. After a thorough preflight, the pilot started the engine and observed a slight drop in RPM, which returned to normal idle after the mixture was leaned. During the run-up, the pilot increased engine RPM to 1,800 for a magneto check and noted a slight delay in RPM increase, but all other indications were normal. The pilot then positioned the airplane on the runway and applied full power. The RPM increased slowly to 2,400. Halfway down the runway, the airplane had not yet reached lift-off speed, although the RPM was above 2,400. The airplane accelerated to 80 knots and lifted off near the end of the runway, climbing slower than normal. The pilot leveled the airplane to gain airspeed, but the engine RPM dropped to 2,000. Expecting to conduct an emergency landing, the pilot left the landing gear down and the fuel pump on, and ensured the throttle and mixture were full rich. The RPM then decreased to 1,800, and at about 100 feet above ground, the airplane began to descend into trees at the runway end. The left wing struck a tree top, and the airplane descended abruptly to the ground.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector and a mechanic did not reveal any anomalies. Flight control continuity was established, as well as continuity to the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls. The fuel system was intact, and fuel flowed freely through it. The valve covers were removed; the intake and exhaust valves showed no abnormal wear signatures. The oil filter was removed and disassembled, with no debris or contaminants noted. The spark plugs were removed and displayed normal wear signatures when compared with the Champion Check-a-plug chart. The propeller was manually rotated, and no binding or grinding was noted within the engine. Thumb compression was established on all cylinders. The magnetos were tested and fired normally.