Background
On December 5, 2012, at approximately 1200 central standard time, a Mooney M20E airplane (registration N9493V) was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Gurdon, Arkansas. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, with no flight plan filed. The flight was conducted in day visual meteorological conditions.
The flight departed from Austin Grider Field Airport (PBF) in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, around 1130, and was en route to Gurdon Lowe Field Airport (5M8), Gurdon, Arkansas. The pilot reported that the accident occurred during a repositioning flight after the airplane had undergone avionics maintenance.
Accident Sequence
About 30 minutes into the flight, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power, which the pilot described as consistent with a lack of available fuel. However, the pilot stated that the airplane had departed with 35–40 gallons of fuel on board, and believed sufficient fuel remained when power was lost. The airplane was at approximately 1,500 feet mean sea level when a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot did not have time to troubleshoot before focusing on finding a suitable landing area. He noted that he did not turn on the electric fuel pump during his brief attempt to restart the engine.
He executed a forced landing on a nearby road. During the landing roll, the left wing contacted a bush alongside the road, causing the airplane to leave the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. The fuselage and wings were damaged. After the accident, the pilot recovered the wreckage to his company's location in Gurdon without notifying local or federal authorities.
Post-accident Examination
An engine examination was performed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector assisted by an aviation mechanic after the wreckage was recovered. The engine, a Lycoming IO-360-A1A (serial number RL-19935-51A), had accumulated 423 hours since its last overhaul on October 31, 2002. The examination found suction and compression at each cylinder during crankshaft rotation, along with continuity of the valve train and accessory drive. The mechanical fuel pump and shower-of-sparks ignition system operated correctly when the engine was rotated using the electric starter. The fuel screens were free of contamination. No evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation was discovered.
The actual fuel load and distribution at the time of the accident could not be determined because the airplane was moved from the accident site before authorities were notified.