Mooney M20F accident near Eufaula, Alabama, July 23, 1992
On July 23, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N6730N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eufaula, Alabama (Eufaula airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL INJECTOR SERVO AS A RESULT OF THE STICKING BUSHING BETWEEN THE DIAPHRAGMS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eufaula, Alabama · Eufaula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6730N · no longer on the register · serial 680181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A TEST FLIGHT AFTER MAINTENANCE, ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT FELT HE WAS BELOW GLIDE PATH. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO ADJUST HIS DESCENT RATE, THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND MINOR INJURY TO THE PILOT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR SERVO WAS PRODUCING A RICH MIXTURE, AT THE LOW POWER SETTING, AS A RESULT OF THE BUSHING BETWEEN THE DIAPHRAGMS STICKING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 730 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 705 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUF at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from CSG, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.