# Accident 20231030017979A: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Lamar, CO, October 30, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 2023, 17:30 local time
- Place: Lamar, CO
- Airport: Lamar Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.0706° N, 102.6347° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0706&lon=-102.6347&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1167J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1167J) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20K (registry code 5870220, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,991 total, 18 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA030) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231030017979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

10/30/2023 - AIRCRAFT DEPARTED CENTRALIA, ILLINOS AIRPORT (KENL) TO FLY TO LAMAR, COLORADO (KLAA). THE DISTANCE IS APPROXIAMATELY 781 MILES. THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT FROM CALDWELL COUNTY AIRPORT, NORTH CAROLINA (KMRN) TO CENTRALIA, ILLINOS AIRPORT (KENL). THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT BURNED 42 GALLONS IN 3.7 HOURS (APPROXIMATELY 13.5/GPH). THE AIRCAFT HAS 72 GALLONS OF USEABLE FUEL. THE FLIGHT FROM KMRN TO KLAA WOULD BURN APPROMIAMATELY 69 GALLONS OF FUEL TO TRAVEL 781 MILES. PILOT STATED AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES FROM KLAA, THE ENGINE DIED. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. ON THE FIVE MILE FINAL TO KLAA THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN AND HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEXT TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS WERE INSPECTED AND BOTH WERE EMPTY. PILOT MISMANAGED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND RAN OUT OF FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN24LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA030), Oct 31, 2023: Mooney M20K (N1167J), Lamar, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and improper in-flight decision making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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