# NTSB WPR24LA114: Mooney M20K, N38RK, Farmington, CA, March 16, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 16, 2024, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC) - Place: Farmington, CA - Coordinates: 37.885117, -120.93498 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8851&lon=-120.9350&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193957 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA114 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193957/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193957 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA114 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning that resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/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) - [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) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: 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) - [Enroute: 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) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he intended to service the airplane with fuel at the destination airport, which had cheaper fuel and was a short distance away. During the preflight inspection he observed that the low fuel indicator was illuminated for one tank, and the panel gauge for the other indicated it was ¼ full, which he estimated would equate to about 20 about gallons. He cross-checked the levels with the airplanes fuel totalizer system, which indicated 20 gallons of fuel remained. While enroute, the pilot noticed the fuel gauge level dropping faster than he anticipated, and a short time later the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot performed a forced landing onto a dirt road in farmland, after maneuvering the airplane under a power line. The airplane struck fence on roll-out and sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplanes low fuel indicators illuminate when about 2 ½ gallons of fuel remain in their respective tanks. Each tank holds about 9 gallons of fuel when ¼ full, rather than the 20 gallons the pilot had estimated. The pilot stated that he had mistakenly used the airplanes total fuel capacity of about 76 gallons when making that calculation, rather than half the value that a single tank could hold. He also stated that he may not have properly adjusted the totalizer the last time he serviced the airplane with fuel, hence its reading was not accurate. He stated that because the totalizer and fuel tank gauge readings were similar, due to confirmation bias he concluded that sufficient fuel remained. The pilot stated that he is risk averse, and conservative in nature and has never departed with the low fuel light on before but, he surmised, the cheaper fuel at the destination likely influenced his decision to proceed with the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38RK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N38RK-2025-12-06), registration cancelled 2025-12-06, S/N 25-1059 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-1059 - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 3378 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-MB 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2023, 10 hours before - Departed: AUN, Auburn, CA - Destination: O27, Oakdale, CA - Airport: NONE, Field - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 10, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 825.3 total, 383.7 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: KSCK, 14 nm away - METAR: METAR KSCK 161955Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 21/02 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP156 T02110022= ## 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 20240316002279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240316002279A), Mar 16, 2024: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Farmington, CA, Substantial damage. On March 16, 2024, a pilot and a passenger departed from auburn municipal airport (aun) with the plan to stop at oakdale airport (027) to refuel before heading… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193957. 3.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 15 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17192527&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_6120%20Complete_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 407 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17192494&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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.