RED BAY, AL, USA
N3207F
MOONEY M-20F
THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP SHORT OF THE RWY IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RWY AFTER A POWER LOSS AT LOW ALT. DURING TAKEOFF THE ARPT MANAGER SAID THE ENGINE SOUND CHANGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH POWER LOSS FROM FUEL STARVATION. FAA DID A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEST RUN AND HAD TO RUN THE ENGINE RICH WITH BOOST PUMP ON TO KEEP IT RUNNING. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHY IT WAS RUNNING LEAN. THE FUEL INJECTOR INLET SCREEN SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CORROSION AND RUST. FUEL FLOW WAS FOUND TO BE LEAN. INJECTORS AND FLOW DIVIDER WERE REMOVED FOR A CHECK. THE INJECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH DIRT, RUST AND WATER. THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS WORN AND BINDING. THE IDLE MIXTURE SETTING WAS ADJUSTEDTO THE LEAN SIDE. WHEN THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REINSTALLED, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND RICH. LEANED WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY AT ALL SETTINGS. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE LINKAGE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
