Mooney M-20G accident near Burlington, Washington, May 19, 1999
On May 19, 1999, a Mooney M-20G, registered N6700N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to carburetor contamination. Factors include the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance when he performed his forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1999
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20G · all M-20Gs on the register
- Registration
- N6700N · no longer on the register · serial 680079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a forced landing after a loss of engine power. While attempting to restart the engine, he overshot the road he had selected for his forced landing, turned, retracted the landing gear, and 'waited for the impact.' After the wreckage was recovered, FAA inspectors ran the engine to 1600 rpm. They also removed the main fuel screen, and found it full of a 'gel-like' substance. The carburetor finger screen had captured some foreign matter, but was not judged to have been blocked. Upon disassembly of the carburetor, foreign material was found blocking the main metering jet orifice, along with some large particles, with a surface area similar to that of a small thumbtack. It could not be determined how those particles bypassed the finger screen. The airplane had been recently painted and then an annual inspection had been performed. The main fuel screen and the safety wire on the main fuel screen were covered with overspray. Fresh safety wire on the carburetor float bowl was consistent with the carburetor float bowl having been drained.
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: 892 hours in all; 793 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days; 8,862 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1999; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 75S Burlington WA at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.