What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 7, 2005, at 1245 pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N6330Q, collided with terrain while executing an emergency landing after a loss of engine power at la Cholla air park, oro valley, Arizona. The commercial pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at novato, California, at 0735. The pilot reported to the national transportation safety board investigator that they had been airborne for about 5 hours 10 minutes. She had departed novato with 52 gallons of fuel, and had been using standard fuel management procedures by switching tanks about every hour. She made the final switch to the right tank at 1210. At 1240, she overflew the la Cholla air park and executed a standard entry. While in a left-hand turn to enter the downwind leg, and at 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL), the engine began to run abnormally and then quit producing power. She diverted to the crosswind runway, and landed short of the runway threshold in desert vegetation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 7, 2005, AT 1245 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M20C, N6330Q, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE EXECUTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT LA CHOLLA AIR PARK, ORO VALLEY, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OPERATED THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, AT 0735. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT THEY HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS 10 MINUTES. SHE HAD DEPARTED NOVATO WITH 52 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND HAD BEEN USING STANDARD FUEL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES BY SWITCHING TANKS ABOUT EVERY HOUR. SHE MADE THE FINAL SWITCH TO THE RIGHT TANK AT 1210. AT 1240, SHE OVERFLEW THE LA CHOLLA AIR PARK AND EXECUTED A STANDARD ENTRY. WHILE IN A LEFT-HAND TURN TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND LEG, AND AT 1,500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ABNORMALLY AND THEN QUIT PRODUCING POWER. SHE DIVERTED TO THE CROSSWIND RUNWAY, AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD IN DESERT VEGETATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.