Incident Overview
On October 22, 2016, about 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20J airplane, registration N201EU, experienced a partial loss of engine power and subsequently made a forced landing near Coalinga, California. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot, who owned the aircraft, and his sole passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan.
Flight Details
The flight departed Hanford Municipal Airport (HJO) in Hanford, California, at approximately 1740, with Harris Ranch airstrip (3O8) as the reported destination, located about 8 nautical miles northeast of Coalinga.
Pilot's Account
According to a report submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, while on approach to 3O8 and about 8 nautical miles southeast of the airstrip, the engine "hiccupped." About 15 seconds later, it began running rough and produced no power. The pilot switched fuel tanks from the right to the left, selected wide open throttle, mixture full rich, and added flaps to improve glide performance. To avoid high-tension power lines, the pilot climbed over them, which reduced glide performance and airspeed. The airplane subsequently struck a stand of almond trees and came to rest nose-down on the ground. The pilot noted that the engine appeared to be running until impact.
Postaccident Examination
The morning after the accident, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors examined the airplane at the scene, which was in a tree orchard about one and one-half miles east of 3O8. No fuel leakage or stains were found on the ground or aircraft exterior. The fuel system was intact and undamaged, with both wing tanks and the strainer free of contaminants. The fuel selector was in the left tank position. When the right wing tip was slightly raised and the selector moved to the right tank position, about 4 ounces of clean blue gasoline drained into a container. The left tank sump was completely drained, yielding about 7 gallons of clean blue gasoline; the flow divider contained a trace of gasoline. The fuel control unit's inlet finger strainer was clean and unobstructed. The fuel supply line released a small amount of clean blue gasoline when disconnected. No water or particulate contamination was detected.
Engine Test Run
On November 3, 2016, under NTSB and FAA supervision, a test run of the engine was conducted at Valley Air Crafts in Tulare, California. The engine started and operated normally when supplied with adequate fuel, with smooth idle, magneto checks, and maximum power run-up using an exemplar propeller. No anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.