Accident Mooney M-18C N4083, Saturday 21 April 1984

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Date:	Saturday 21 April 1984
Time:	15:47 LT
Type:	Mooney M-18C
Owner/operator:	Robert M Murray
Registration:	N4083
MSN:	M-18C
Total airframe hrs:	1200 hours
Engine model:	Continental A-65-8
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Lockhart, TX - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Lockhart, TX (50R)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT RELATED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT PERFORMING WELL FROM THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL. SINCE HE HAD ONLY PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE ACFT IN WINTER MONTHS & THE TEMP WAS QUITE WARM, HE THOUGHT THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE WAS DUE TO THE TEMP. HE STAYED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN & MADE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING. HE DID NOT USE THE CARB HEAT SINCE HE THOUGHT THE AIR WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE. AFTER THE TOUCH-&-GO, THE ENG WAS EVEN MORE SLUGGISH. ON DOWNWIND, HE NOTICED AN INDICATION OF ZERO OIL PRESSURE & ELECTED TO TURN DIRECTLY TO THE RWY FOR AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. HE DECIDED NOT TO EXTEND THE GEAR SO AS TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE & MINIMIZE DAMAGE.SUBSEQUENTLY, HE CONTACTED THE GROUND, LEFT WING 1ST, WHILE TRYING TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO INDICATION OF INTERNAL FAILURE. APRX 2 QTS OF OIL WERE FOUND IN THE ENG & AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT HAD DRAINED OUT AT THE CRASH SITE. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 80 & 50 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS CARB ICING WAS POSSIBLE AT OR BELOW RATED POWER. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WAS USED.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: