Accident: Mooney M20C
Sep 16, 2017 · North Branford, CT
NTSB numberERA17FA327Event id20170916X54424
- 2
- Fatalities
- 0
- Serious injuries
- 0
- Minor injuries
- 0
- Uninjured
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as the result of foreign object debris in the fuel selector valve. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of a low cruising altitude, which reduced the available time to troubleshoot the loss of engine power and afforded fewer forced landing site options, and improper maintenance of the airplane, which allowed a portion of a shop towel into the fuel system.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C
- Registration
- N53CP
- Year built
- 1964
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rules
- Part 91: general aviation
- Defining event
- Enroute Loss of engine power (total)
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)9 nm (16 km) south-west
- Waterbury Oxford Airport (OXC)19 nm (35 km) west
- Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR)21 nm (39 km) south-west
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.