On July 13, 1992, a Mooney M20C (registration N9379A) operated by Walter, James W. Jr. was involved in an aviation accident near Pass-a-grille, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot performed a stall maneuver with about 12 gallons of fuel. During the maneuver, fuel flow to the engine stopped. Attempts to restore power failed, and the aircraft was ditched. Investigation attributed the power loss to fuel starvation.
Accident Description
The flight departed with approximately 12 gallons of fuel. About half an hour later, the pilot initiated a stall maneuver. During the maneuver, the pilot moved the control column forward to reduce the angle of attack. According to the pilot, at that moment fuel quit getting to the engine. The pilot attempted to restore engine power but was unsuccessful. Because the engine could not be restarted, the pilot chose to ditch the aircraft. The aircraft was later recovered.
Investigation
An FAA airworthiness inspector investigated the incident. The inspector determined that the loss of engine power was due to fuel starvation. The inspector's finding indicates that the engine stopped receiving fuel despite fuel being onboard.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the engine power loss was fuel starvation.