# NTSB CEN24LA030: Mooney M20K, N1167J, Lamar, CO, October 31, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 30, 2023, 18:30 local (Oct 31, 2023, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Lamar, CO - Coordinates: 38.070556, -102.63472 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0706&lon=-102.6347&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193338 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193338/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193338 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA030 ## 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. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that about 4 hours and 15 minutes after departure, the engine lost all power. The pilot was successful in restoring engine power by switching fuel tanks and turning on the auxiliary fuel pump. However, the engine lost all power again about 5 miles from the destination runway. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane struck a fence resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks contained no usable fuel. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1167J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1167J), registered now, S/N 25-0690 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-0690 - Year built: 1982 - Airframe hours: 4231 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360 SER 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special flight (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, October 27, 2023, 4 hours before - Departed: KENL, Centralia, IL - Destination: KLAA, Lamar, CO - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 20, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,991 total, 18 in this make and model, 6,791 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 40° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 9 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: KLAA, 6 nm away - METAR: KLAA 310053Z AUTO 04004KT 10SM CLR 06/M13 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP272 T00561133 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20231030017979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231030017979A), Oct 30, 2023: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Lamar, CO, Substantial damage. 10/30/2023 - Aircraft departed centralia, illinos airport (kenl) to fly to Lamar, Colorado (klaa). The distance is approxiamately 781 miles. The previous… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193338. 7.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16424173&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report%20N1167J_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16423441&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Details of special flight permit (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16424318&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Ferry%20Permit_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.