Mooney M20A accident near Wikieup, Arizona, March 28, 2013
On March 28, 2013 at about 6:19 pm local time, a 1960 Mooney M20A, registered N6018X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Wikieup, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The manufacture and installation of a nonstandard part by unknown maintenance personnel to compensate for a bent, misaligned crankshaft propeller flange, which resulted in the improper clearance of the bearings on the crankshaft journal, a loss of oil pressure, overheating of the bearings, and the failure of a connecting rod during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2013 · about 6:19 pm local time
- Place
- Wikieup, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A, built 1960 · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N6018X · no longer on the register · serial 1606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to air traffic control records, during the cross-country flight, the pilot reported that the engine had lost oil pressure. About 10 minutes later, he reported that the engine was running roughly and that there was smoke in the cockpit. He then stated that he was shutting down the engine. The pilot then made a forced landing in rough terrain. An examination of the wreckage site revealed black viscous fluid on the belly of the fuselage from the engine compartment to the tail skid. The ground underneath the fuselage was also stained with black fluid. Postaccident examination of the engine determined that several of the connecting rod journals and the No. 2 connecting rod had overheated and that the No. 2 connecting rod had fractured and separated. A nonstandard shim was found installed between the propeller hub and the crankshaft propeller flange. A review of the maintenance logbooks found no documentation or entries indicating when the nonstandard shim was manufactured or installed nor who made it. Further examination revealed that the No. 1 main bearing journal and crankshaft propeller flange were misaligned relative to the Nos. 2 and 3 main bearing journals and that the crankshaft was bent. The orientation of the misalignment in both the flange and the No. 1 journal matched, indicating that they were related. The thickness variation in the shim also matched the orientation and magnitude of the propeller flange misalignment, indicating that it had been machined to compensate for the flange misalignment. The heat tinting observed on the connecting rod journals and on the No. 2 connecting rod was consistent with overheating of the bearings typically associated with either improper clearance or insufficient oil pressure at the bearing surface. The misalignment of the crankshaft likely affected both the clearances and the oil pressures at the connecting rod bearings, which led to the overheating of the bearings during flight. The continued use of a bent crankshaft led to the secondary failure of the No. 2 connecting rod.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Other/unknown
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 156 hours in all
- Last flight review: October 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,761 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2012; 16 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 3,739 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: MIT Shafter CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from KIGM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.