SEA01LA066

The pilot departed Tracy, California, on a nonstop delivery flight to the new owner of the recently sold 1959 Mooney M20A. Approximately three hours and 19 minutes later (more than 470 nautical miles of flight), descending toward his destination of Troutdale, Oregon, the engine stopped. The pilot executed an emergency landing to a golf course approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of his destination airport and the aircraft impacted trees during the forced landing to a golf course. The pilot fueled before departing and believed both wing tanks were full (17.5 gallon capacity each) and that the "...auxiliary tank sounded full...." A police officer from the Gresham Police Department interviewed the pilot immediately following the accident and reported to an FAA inspector that the pilot stated that he "...couldn't understand how he could have run out of gas but when the engine quit he switched tanks and tried everything he could but the engine wouldn't start. All his fuel gauges read empty...." The FAA inspector found six ounces of fuel in each wing tank and less than one gallon in the auxiliary tank (14 gallon capacity).

On March 21, 2001, approximately 1329 Pacific standard time (PST), a Mooney M20A, N8346E, registered to and being operated by Martin Specialties, Inc., and being flown by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a collision with trees and terrain while executing a forced landing following a power loss on descent into the Troutdale Airport, Troutdale, Oregon. The pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Tracy, California.

The pilot reported (in a written statement by his daughter, see attached NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that he departed Tracy Municipal (TCY) approximately 1010 PST destined for Troutdale Airport. The flight was being operated as a delivery flight to the new owner, and the straight-line distance between Tracy and Troutdale was measured as approximately 470 nautical miles.

The pilot could not remember how much fuel was in the aircraft prior to departing Tracy and he did not stop for fuel en route to Troutdale. He reported in the statement, "...[the] fuel tanks had no readable method to measure fuel from [the] filling points..." and also believed that both wing tanks were full and that "...[the] auxiliary tank sounded full...." Later in his statement he reported, "...at the time of realization that fuel was not going to last [a] report [was] made to Troutdale airport..." and "...having lost 80 feet of glide path when the fuel ended, [the] pilot decided to take trees to keep from injuring people on the ground...."

The aircraft was several miles south of the Troutdale airport when the engine lost all power. The pilot executed an emergency landing to a golf course approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of the Troutdale Airport.

On-site examination of the aircraft's fuel system by an inspector from the Hillsboro Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Standards District Office revealed six ounces of fuel in each wing tank and less than one gallon in the auxiliary tank. The four-position (Left-Right-Aux-OFF) fuel selector was observed to be set on the "LEFT" tank position. Emergency medical personnel had removed the pilot from the site; however, the inspector interviewed the police officer from the Gresham Police Department who interviewed the pilot immediately after the accident. The inspector reported that the officer was told by the pilot that he "...couldn't understand how he could have run out of gas but when the engine quit he switched tanks and tried everything he could but the engine wouldn't start. All his fuel gauges read empty..." (refer to attached statement).

The 1959 Mooney M20A was equipped with a 17.5 gallon fuel tank in each wing and a 14 gallon auxiliary tank in the fuselage.