Mooney M20 accident near Little Rock, Arkansas, May 13, 2016
On May 13, 2016 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1967 Mooney M20, registered N6371Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Little Rock, Arkansas (North Little Rock Muncipal airport). 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
A loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2016 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Little Rock, Arkansas · North Little Rock Muncipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 F, built 1967 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N6371Q · registry record · serial 670454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private-rated pilot was taking off in the airplane when the airplane's engine began to sputter and lose power. He elected to reduce engine power and land on the remaining runway; however, he had already retracted the landing gear. The pilot lowered the landing gear handle, but was not able to lock the gear into place before the airplane impacted the runway and the nose gear collapsed. Postaccident examination of the airplane found water in the left and right wing fuel tanks, as well as the engine's carburetor. It is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of the water contamination of the fuel system.
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
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,090.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KORK Little Rock AR
- Destination: KHKA Blytheville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KLIT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.