Event WPR21LA119

Factual narrative

On February 23, 2021, at 1645 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20E, N3254F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Livermore, California. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the takeoff from runway 7 was normal; about 100 ft above ground level (agl), the engine lost total power. The pilot elected to make an off-airport landing about 1 mile northeast of the airport on the overpass of Interstate 580. During the landing roll, the propeller struck the trunk of a car. The airplane pivoted around and impacted the left side of the car before coming to a stop near the side of the road. The driver of the car, the sole occupant, was not injured. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane sat outside, and had not been flown for about 8 to 10 years before the accident flight. When the fuel tanks were slumped, a small quantity of water was present in the right fuel tank, and the left tank was free of contamination. A visual examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical damage to the crankcase. The engine was manually rotated, and mechanical and valve train continuity established. The engine-to-magneto timing was within manufacturer limits. The spark plugs were removed and were in good condition. When the engine was manually rotated, the P-leads sparked at all cylinders. The fuel flow divider was disassembled and was clear of debris; the diaphragm was intact. The fuel injectors were removed and were clear of debris. A visual examination of the fuel servo revealed that it was intact and not damaged. The throttle and mixture levers were free to move from stop-to-stop. Before attaching it to the test stand, the fuel servo inlet screen was removed and inspected; debris was observed in the inlet screen. A functional test of the fuel servo was unsuccessful; no fuel flowed through the unit. The fuel servo was disassembled for further examination. Extensive corrosion and debris were noted in the regulator center body and diaphragm assembly, which prevented a successful fuel flow check on the test stand. The corrosion and debris were attributed to water in the system. During the initial climb after takeoff, the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane impacted a car, resulting in substantial damage. An engine examination revealed rust and a black material on the fuel injection servo filter plug. The fuel flow servo diaphragm contained a hard grey sludge. When the fuel injection servo was functionally tested, no fuel flow was observed. The servo was disassembled, and corrosion and debris were identified in the regulator center body and diaphragm assembly. It is likely that corrosion and debris restricted the flow of fuel to the engine, resulting in fuel starvation and the total loss of engine power. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine fuel and control-Fuel control/carburetor-Fatigue/wear/corrosion
• — Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid condition