Mooney M20K N231GG accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

Shortly after takeoff, during a cruise climb about 2,000 ft above ground level, the engine suddenly lost all power without any warning. The pilot attempted to glide the airplane back to the departure airport and restart the engine; however, the engine did not restart and the airplane impacted hilly terrain about 1/2-mile before reaching the runway.

The engine’s most recent overhaul was about 30 years before the accident, and it accrued about 692 hours during that time. Additionally, the airplane had not been flown for more than 2 years before the accident flight. The pilot did not purchase fuel and the age of the fuel in the airplane could not be determined. During wreckage recovery, about 16 gallons of fuel (8 gallons per side) were drained from the airplane’s fuel tanks. The fuel was blue, clear, and consistent with 100LL aviation gasoline. No visible contamination was observed. Subsequent examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies, with the exception of an inoperative right magneto; however, that did not explain a total loss of engine power without any engine roughness.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA082 for the full record.