No fatalities

29 Jun 2011: MOONEY M20E — Frankston, TX

Frankston, TX, United States

On 29 Jun 2011, a MOONEY M20E was involved in an aviation accident near Frankston, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported engine roughness followed by power loss. During a forced landing in a field, the aircraft struck a fence, damaging the landing gear and right wing spar. Both fuel tanks were empty; no mechanical anomalies were found.

Incident Overview

According to the pilot, while en route the engine began to run rough and subsequently lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane ran through a barbed-wire fence, which resulted in damage to the landing gear.

Damage Assessment

An examination of the airframe revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. Both fuel tanks were found empty. The landing gear sustained damage from the fence impact.

Systems Examination

A thorough examination of the airframe, engine, and remaining systems was conducted. No mechanical anomalies or failures were identified. The engine and other components were found to be in working order apart from the damage incurred during the forced landing.

Contributing factors

Fluid levelPilot