| Crash location | 38.846389°N, 94.737500°W |
| Nearest city | Olathe, KS
38.881396°N, 94.819129°W 5.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N7118U |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 02 May 2017 |
| Aircraft type | Mooney M20 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, about 1000 ft above the ground, he "saw the engine power winding down". He added that he "turned on" the boost pump, checked the magnetos and fuel mixture, and then switched the fuel selector to the other fuel tank. The engine experienced a total loss of power, and subsequently, impacted the ground.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that he traveled to the accident, and while on-site, he observed that the fuel selector knob set screw was loose and the knob was turning freely on the shaft.
The pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.
The loose fuel tank selector knob set screw, which prevented the fuel selector from moving to the fuel tank position for the tank with usable fuel and resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.