Mooney M20J accident near Ozark, Arkansas, May 25, 2012
On May 25, 2012 at about 8:36 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N2159D, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ozark, Arkansas (Ozark Franklin County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a connecting rod due to oil starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2012 · about 8:36 pm local time
- Place
- Ozark, Arkansas · Ozark Franklin County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N2159D · no longer on the register · serial 24-0547
- 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, during cruise flight, he noticed a change in engine sound and that he subsequently scanned the engine gauges, which were all within normal operating parameters. Shortly after, the engine rpm began to drop, the pilot heard a "pop" or "bang," and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot attempted to glide the airplane to an alternate airport, but the airplane overshot the runway. The pilot then attempted to land on a nearby road, and the left wing of the airplane struck the ground during the maneuver. Oil streaking was observed on the airplane's exterior. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that no oil was not present in the engine. During disassembly of the engine, the No. 4 connecting rod cap was found fractured, and pieces of the cap were found within the crankcase. Evidence indicated that the No. 4 connecting rod failed due to frictional heating and impact associated with a bearing failure. The Nos. 1 to 3 connecting rods and connecting rod bolts showed varying degrees of heat discoloration, and the evidence of heating in the Nos. 2 and 4 connecting rods indicated that the No. 4 bearing failure was due to lack of oil in the connecting rod bearings. The cause of the oil starvation could not be determined.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,865 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 1,806 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK
- Destination: UTA Tunica MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,302 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FSM, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.