- Date
- May 27, 1994, 02:17 local (07:17 UTC)
- Place
- Omaha, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6942UMooney M20E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940527012639A
- Case key
- 9549
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and the inadequate fuel supply for the flight. Factors related to the accident were the ditch and the quantity gage which gave a false indication.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot began the cross country flight using the left fuel tank. He then selected the right tank until it ran dry at which time he switched back to the left tank. After being cleared to descend to the destination airport, the engine quit. A forced landing was made in a field during which the airplane contacted a ditch. Post accident inspection revealed 1/2 cup of fuel remained on board the airplane. The left fuel tank quantity indicator showed 30 pounds of fuel remaining.
Factual narrative
On May 27, 1994, at 0217 central daylight time, a Mooney M20E, N6942U, registered to Peter O. Coltman, and piloted by a commercial instrument pilot collided with rough terrain during a forced landing along side a highway in Omaha, Nebraska, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Austin, Texas, at 2145 central daylight time, on May 26, 1994.
The pilot stated he started the flight on the left fuel tank then switched to the right. He ran the right tank dry then switched back to the left for the remainder of the flight. N6942U was cleared to descent to the Omaha Epply Airport and the pilot was told to report the airport in sight. The pilot stated that the engine quit during the descent. A forced landing was made in a field near the intersection of I-370 and W60 in Omaha. During the landing the airplane contacted a two foot wide ditch which was two to three feet deep.
Post accident inspection of the airplane by an Inspector from the Lincoln, Nebraska Flight Standards District Office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed 1/2 cup of fuel remained in the left fuel tank and the right fuel tank was empty. The left fuel tank quantity indicator was indicating 30 pounds of fuel remained in that tank.
The pilot was given an NTSB 6120.1/2 Form by the FAA Inspector who inspected the airplane. This form was not received by the NTSB. A second form was mailed certified to the pilot. The pilot stated during a telephone conversation with the NTSB that mailed the original form and that he would mail a copy of the form. Neither form has been received by the NTSB as of the date of this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6942U
- Reported as
- Mooney M20E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 312
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peter O. Coltman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Austin, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 874 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OMA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.