Mooney M20C accident near Allen, Oklahoma, August 30, 2011
On August 30, 2011 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N5501Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Allen, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power in flight due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s inadequate fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2011 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Allen, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5501Q · no longer on the register · serial 2939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while on a cross-country flight, the fuel in the left tank was exhausted and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot attempted to restore fuel to the engine by switching to the right tank, which contained fuel; however, realizing that he was too low to attempt an engine restart, he elected to perform a gear-up landing to a field. The airplane’s fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage during the landing. No other preimpact anomalies with the airplane were reported.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task scheduling › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 13, 2011
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,447 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MO64 Kimberly City MO at 12:00 pm
- Destination: F30 Sulphur MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from ADH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.