CEN16LA164

The private pilot did not confirm the amount of fuel onboard the airplane during the preflight inspection, but later reported that the fuel gauges indicated that the left tank was about 1/4 full and that the right tank was about 1/3 full. He then departed on the airplane's first flight in nearly one year. During the initial climb after takeoff, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. Only a few drops of fuel were recovered from the fuel pump and gascolator, but the fuel revealed no evidence of water or other contamination. The fuel tanks were not compromised during impact. No fuel was observed in the left tank, and 10 to 12 ounces were drained from that sump. The right tank appeared to contain several gallons of fuel; however, the amount could not be quantified. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank. The pilot reported that he relied on bad information from the fuel gauges and overestimated the amount of fuel available in the left tank; therefore, the loss of engine power is consistent with fuel starvation due to the pilot's selection of the left fuel tank, which contained an unusable amount of fuel.

On April 21, 2016, about 1140 central daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N6870N, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain after the engine lost power shortly after takeoff from William R. Pogue Municipal Airport (OWP), Sand Springs, Oklahoma. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The airplane departed OWP and was en route to Ponca City Regional Airport (PNC), Ponca City, Oklahoma, when the accident occurred. During the preflight inspection, the pilot noted there was no contamination or water in the fuel, and the fuel was blue in color, similar to 100LL. He did not dip-stick the fuel tanks, but the [fuel gauges] "indicated fuel on board was ¼ tank on left and 1/3 on right, for a total of 15-16 gallons." According to the pilot's accident report, there was complete loss of engine power during initial climb. The pilot made a "mayday" emergency radio call and attempted to turn back towards the airport. The airplane descended and impacted trees less than a mile northeast of OWP and came to rest inverted. Both wings, ailerons, fuselage, empennage, and tail surfaces were extensively damaged. Several witnesses heard the pilot's radio call and responded to the scene. Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly thereafter and extricated the pilot from the wreckage. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors from the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) went to the scene and examined the airplane. According to a conversation with the airworthiness inspector, the fuel tanks had not been compromised. Although the airplane had just received an annual inspection, it had not been flown for nearly a year and the fuel was at least that old. Examination of the fuel in the fuel pump and gascolator revealed only a few drops of fuel and no evidence of water or other contamination. No visible fuel was observed in the left fuel tank, and 10 to 12 ounces of fuel was drained from that sump. The right fuel tank contained a few gallons of fuel, but he was unable to drain/measure due to the wing resting on the hangar floor. The fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. In an e-mail dated May 12, 2016, the pilot said he thought the cause of the loss of engine power was due to fuel starvation because he was operating on bad information from the fuel gauges and overestimated the amount of fuel available in the left tank.