History of Flight
On August 13, 2022, about 1231 central daylight time, a Mooney M20K airplane, N30EV, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Hannah City, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The flight departed Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 0639 mountain daylight time, destined for Peoria International Airport (PIA), Peoria, Illinois. A fuel receipt from Jet Center at SAF indicated that 54.2 gallons of fuel was purchased for the accident airplane on August 10, 2022. ADS-B data revealed that after that fuel purchase, the airplane departed SAF and flew one traffic pattern lasting about 4 minutes. No additional fuel receipts indicated refueling after that flight, and no subsequent flights were made until the accident flight.
ADS-B data showed that after departure, the airplane climbed to 15,000 ft and remained at that altitude for almost 5 hours, with no stops. When about 28 miles west of PIA, the pilot established communications with the PIA air traffic control tower and reported inbound with current weather. The controller advised entering a right downwind for runway 22. About 10 miles west of PIA, the pilot reported that the engine lost all power. When asked if they could reach PIA, the pilot stated they would be unable. The last recorded data point showed the airplane traveling west about 675 ft msl and lined up with a road.
Surveillance video captured the airplane about one block east of the last data point. In the video, the landing gear was extended, and the propeller appeared to be windmilling. As the airplane descended, it struck powerlines. A second video from inside a vehicle showed the airplane immediately after powerline contact. The airplane continued descending and touched down on a roadway. After touchdown, the left wing impacted a bridge railing and a road sign. The airplane continued eastbound, and the left wing then impacted a power pole, separating the left wing about 6 feet 9 inches outboard of the wing root. The rest of the airplane continued until it impacted a building, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Personnel Information
The pilot was issued a Third Class Medical Certificate with the limitation: “Must wear lenses for distant, have glasses for near vision,” which expired for all classes in 2018. He subsequently applied for BasicMed and completed the BasicMed course on June 3, 2020, and the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist was dated January 6, 2020. The BasicMed course was valid for two years, and no subsequent course completion was submitted to the FAA.
Meteorological Information
A High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model sounding for the accident time and location, with modeled surface elevation at 2,890 ft msl, indicated at an elevation of 15,278 ft msl, wind from 288° at 11.1 knots.
Wreckage and Impact Information
A postaccident examination revealed that the left-wing fuel tank was breached and absent of fuel. The right-wing fuel tank remained intact; when opened, only a small amount of fuel was present. The fuel selector was positioned on the “RIGHT TANK.” The fuel strainer contained about 3 oz of fuel, and the fuel line into the fuel flow divider was absent of fuel. The fuel flow divider was disassembled with no blockages observed within the divider or fuel lines that would have prevented fuel from reaching the cylinders.
A detailed examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The airplane was equipped with a Shadin Avionics MiniFlo digital fuel management system, designed to provide fuel management information under real-time flight conditions. The unit connected to engine fuel flow transducers and did not interface with the airplane’s fuel quantity indicating system. It required the pilot to enter initial fuel on board. When power was applied, it displayed gallons used as 64.9 gallons and gallons remaining as 10.1 gallons. The unit did not retain data indicating the last time it was reset to full fuel.
Additional Information
According to ADS-B data, when the airplane was abeam Garden City, Kansas, ground speed was about 177 knots on a ground track of about 060°. With wind data applied, the tailwind component was about 7 knots, resulting in an airspeed of about 170 knots.
According to the pilot’s operating handbook (POH), an altitude of 15,000 ft and an airspeed of about 170 knots equated to about a 70% engine power setting; engine fuel consumption at 70% power can range from 10.2 gph to 12.5 gph. Fueling records indicated 54 gallons of 100LL were added on the last fueling. Total fuel capacity was 78.6 gallons, with 75.6 gallons usable. The exact fuel quantity onboard at departure and the cruise power setting could not be determined.
According to the POH, the airplane would have consumed between 5.41 and 7.58 gallons during climb. Using 54 gallons as minimum fuel at departure and accounting for climb consumption, endurance would be between 3.7 and 4.7 hours, depending on cruise power setting. If tanks were full before departure, endurance would be between 5.4 and 6.8 hours.
A recovered Garmin 396 GPS contained an aircraft profile page that listed the accident airplane and a corresponding fuel flow of 12.5 gallons per hour.
Medical and Pathological Information
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected the inactive metabolite of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), in the pilot’s heart blood at 2.2 ng/mL and in urine at 18.9 ng/mL. THC’s short-lived psychoactive metabolite, 11-hydroxy-delta-9-THC (11-OH-THC), was detected in urine at 3.4 ng/mL but not in blood. The non-impairing high blood pressure medication chlorthalidone was detected in heart blood and urine. Quinine, a non-impairing medication used for malaria and leg cramps and as an additive in tonic water, was also detected in heart blood and urine.