Mooney M20E accident near Gurdon, Arkansas, December 5, 2012
On December 5, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1970 Mooney M20E, registered N9493V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Gurdon, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because no mechanical engine malfunctions were identified and because the actual fuel load and distribution at the time of the accident could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gurdon, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E, built 1970 · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9493V · no longer on the register · serial 700047
- 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, about 30 minutes into the cross-country flight, the airplane's engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot stated that the airplane had departed with 35 to 40 gallons of fuel onboard, and, therefore, that sufficient fuel was remaining when the engine lost partial power. The engine subsequently lost total power when the airplane was about 1,500 feet mean sea level, and the pilot did not have time to troubleshoot the problem before having to shift his focus to identifying a suitable landing area. He completed a forced landing on a nearby road, but, during the landing roll, the left wing contacted a bush, which caused the airplane to depart the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. A postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's actual fuel load and distribution at the time of accident could not be determined because the airplane was recovered from the accident site before local or federal authorities were notified of the accident. Therefore, it could not be determined whether the airplane experienced fuel starvation/exhaustion during the accident flight.
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 (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 890 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,251 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 2011; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 423 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBF Pine Bluff AR at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 5M8 Gurdon AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from ADF, 10 miles away
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.