Event NYC00LA117

Factual narrative

On April 20, 2000, about 1715 Eastern Standard Time, a Mooney M20C, N9187V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Newport State Airport, Middletown, Rhode Island. The certificated commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a written statement from the pilot: "...preflighted aircraft, sumped tanks, pulled center drain, checked oil, removed covers and tie downs. Engine started normal, run up normal, back taxied to runway 16, line up on center line, boost pump on...Full power normal acceleration, rotated around 60-65. At 80 to 100 feet, engine quit, landed in field along side runway 22...." According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, when the power loss occurred, the landing gear was still extended. The pilot elected to land on airport rather than fly into trees beyond the departure end of the runway. A turn to the right was initiated towards Runway 22; however, ground contact was made prior to reaching a wings level attitude. The airplane came to rest abeam of the departure end of the runway. The outboard 2 feet of the right wing was bent up 45 degrees, the fuselage was twisted, the left landing gear had penetrated the wing vertically, the right landing gear was bent aft, and the engine had been pushed back into the fuselage. The pilot reported the takeoff was made with the fuel selector on the left tank. According to a report from a FAA inspector: "...During the investigation the fuel sumped from the left tank contained approximately 30% water, the carburetor bowl contained approximately 95% water, and the [fuel] line to the carburetor contained approximately 75% water." According to the pilot, the airplane had last been refueled on February 5, 2000. He estimated the fuel tanks were about 3/4 full for each tank. He believed the airplane had not flown in the two weeks preceding the accident. When asked why he did not detect the water in the fuel during pre-flight, the pilot reported that he used a small plastic cup that came with the airplane to drain the sumps. The cup only held a few ounces of fuel. He further added that, "he did not drain enough fuel" [to detect the water]. The pilot reported that he preflighted the airplane, which included draining the fuel tanks prior to departure. During departure, when the airplane was about 80 to 100 feet above the ground, the engine experienced a power loss. Due to trees off the departure end of the runway, the pilot initiated a right turn to land on another runway and remain on airport. The airplane contacted the ground in a right bank. Examination of the airplane revealed water in the fuel tanks, the fuel line leading to the carburetor, and in the carburetor bowl. The pilot reported that he drained the fuel tanks with a plastic cup that came with the airplane. He further added, 'he did not drain enough fuel' [to detect the water]. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12