TUBA CITY, AZ, USA
N5703Q
MOONEY M20E
THE PLT HAD REPEATEDLY EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENG DURING HIS CROSS-COUNTRY FLT FROM SANTE FE. HE HAD ALSO OBSERVED HIGH ENG AND OIL TEMPS. HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND REQUESTED THAT A MECHANIC REPAIR THE ENG. HE THEN TOOK OFF AND CONTINUED HIS PLANNED FLIGHT. ONCE AGAIN THE ENG RAN ROUGH, AND HE MADE ANOTHER PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HE EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND ADDED FIVE QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENG. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE ENG AGAIN RAN ROUGH. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE 2,000 FT DIRT RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENG REVEALED BROKEN RINGS IN TWO PISTONS, AND ALL OTHER PISTON RINGS HAD LOST THEIR TEMPER. DENSITY ALTITUDE ESTIMATED 6.700 FT.
FAILURE OF THE PISTON RINGS WHICH REDUCED THE AVAILABLE ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED OPERATION OF HIS AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN ENGINE DEFICIENCY DURING THE RELATIVELY HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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