Mooney M20E accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, October 13, 2010
On October 13, 2010 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N5743Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Massey Ranch Airpark airport). It was a ferry 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 pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to water contaminated fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2010 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida · Massey Ranch Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N5743Q · no longer on the register · serial 730
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was not operated for an extended period of time due to a propeller strike. The owner of the airplane received a ferry permit to have the airplane flown to another airport for repairs. Before the flight, the pilot completed a preflight inspection and engine run-up, during which time he did notice any anomalies. During the initial climb, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. The airplane impacted the ground on the east side of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel was contaminated with water. The right and left tanks were drained and about 1 pint of water was captured from each fuel tank. In a telephone interview with the pilot, he recalled that during the preflight inspection, he did sump the fuel tanks, but did not notice any water in them.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,370 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X50 New Smyrna Beach FL at 6:20 pm
- Destination: XFL Palm Coast FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DAB, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.