Fuel exhaustion Accident Mooney M20A N8346E,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 386111
 
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Date:Wednesday 21 March 2001
Time:14:29 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic M20P model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Mooney M20A
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N8346E
MSN: 1524
Year of manufacture:1959
Engine model:Lycoming O-360
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Gresham, OR -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Tracy Municipal Airport, CA (KTCY)
Destination airport:Troutdale Airport, OR (TTD/KTTD)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot departed Tracy, California, on a nonstop delivery flight to the new owner of the recently sold 1959 Mooney M20A. Approximately three hours and 19 minutes later (more than 470 nautical miles of flight), descending toward his destination of Troutdale, Oregon, the engine stopped. The pilot executed an emergency landing to a golf course approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of his destination airport and the aircraft impacted trees during the forced landing to a golf course. The pilot fueled before departing and believed both wing tanks were full (17.5 gallon capacity each) and that the "...auxiliary tank sounded full...." A police officer from the Gresham Police Department interviewed the pilot immediately following the accident and reported to an FAA inspector that the pilot stated that he "...couldn't understand how he could have run out of gas but when the engine quit he switched tanks and tried everything he could but the engine wouldn't start. All his fuel gauges read empty...." The FAA inspector found six ounces of fuel in each wing tank and less than one gallon in the auxiliary tank (14 gallon capacity).

Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate decision in which he failed to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA01LA066
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA01LA066

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Apr-2024 11:19 ASN Update Bot Added

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