Mooney M20A N8346E

Summary

On 21 March 2001 at about 21:29 local time, a Mooney M20A registered N8346E, operated by Martin, Glenn H., was involved in an accident near Gresham, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 March 2001 at 21:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Gresham, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Not Applicable

Coordinates

45.4999, -122.4297

Aircraft

Mooney M20A

Registration

N8346E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Martin, Glenn H.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tracy → Troutdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA066

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate decision in which he failed to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.