Mooney M20J N823SP

Summary

On 16 September 2021 at about 19:45 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N823SP was involved in an accident near Howell, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 2021 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Howell, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.6385, -84.0686

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N823SP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Howell → Pontiac

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA423

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane’s fuel quantity, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before takeoff, the pilot estimated that 19 gallons of fuel remained in the airplane based on approximate flight time and fuel burn since the last refueling. His displays read 30 gallons remaining. He departed on a 20 nautical mile flight and shortly after takeoff the engine began to run rough. The engine stopped running rough and the pilot scanned the engine instruments which displayed normal readings. The pilot continued to his destination but had second thoughts and decided to return to his home field. While in cruise flight at 4,500 ft mean sea level, the engine quit. The pilot performed a forced landing to a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings during the forced landing. A postaccident examination determined there was no fuel in the right tank and 6.5 gallons in the left tank. When electrical power was applied to the airplane, the right tank display indicated ½ full. The fuel quantity of the airplane was last calibrated in 2006 when it was modified with a dual bladder system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.