Pilot Debrief

Mooney M20C near Lahoma, OK — 2020-06-01

Final reportCEN20CA249
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Date
2020-06-01
Location
Lahoma, OK, USA
Airport
WDG
Aircraft
Mooney M20C
Registration
N6728U
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot’s improper fuel planning before the flight.

NTSB narrative

After about 1 hour of normal flight, the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank and the engine restarted. About 5 minutes later, the engine lost power again. The pilot decided to land the airplane in a field since the nearest airport was about 8 miles away. Upon touchdown in the field, the airplane hit a berm, and the landing gear collapsed. The aft fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that he was not familiar with the recently purchased airplane’s fuel system. He also stated that he normally topped off his fuel tanks before each flight, but he did not do so before the accident flight. Examination of the airplane at the accident site confirmed that there was no usable fuel on board.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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