N6474UMooney M20C · 1962

On January 17, 2015, about 1630 central standard time, a Mooney M20C airplane, N6474U, lost engine power shortly after departing a private airstrip in Lonoke County, Arkansas. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that he performed an engine a run-up with the engine instruments; everything was in the normal operating range. Just after takeoff, he retracted the gear, and shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. He immediately applied carburetor heat; however, he only got a moment of partial power back. The pilot then selected a nearby highway for the forced landing. The airplane collided with several trees just short of the highway, before coming to rest upright on its belly. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector, noted extensive damage to the right wing, and forward section of the fuselage. A inspection of the fuel tank filler ports revealed, fuel was not visible in the right fuel tank and about half-inch of fuel was visible in the left fuel tank.

An examination of the engine was conducted by the NTSB IIC. The engine was rotated by hand; a thumb compression test was done on each cylinder. Engine and valve train continuity was confirmed to the accessory drive section. The magnetos produced a spark at each sparkplug terminal. The electric-driven fuel pump operated, when electrical power was supplied. Both the carburetor heat and mixture control cables were broken and not attached to their respective points. For attachment to the carburetor's mixture control arm, the cable end had been wrapped around the attachment's bolt. The cable's break, which was located under the bolt head, had both a dull and a shiny section. The mixture control arm attached to the carburetor, and would remain at whichever position it was placed. The arm was removed from the carburetor and the spring under the mixture control arm appeared intact. The carburetor float bowl drain plug was removed; no fuel exited the bowl.

At 1658, the automated weather reported station located about 15 miles west of the accident site, recorded a temperature of 57 degrees F and a dew point of 36 degrees F. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart, indicated that the airplane was operating in an area that was associated with a risk of carburetor ice at glide power setting.