Mooney M20C accident near Lahoma, Oklahoma, June 1, 2020
On June 1, 2020 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1963 Mooney M20C, registered N6728U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lahoma, Oklahoma (Enid Municipal 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
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot’s improper fuel planning before the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2020 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lahoma, Oklahoma · Enid Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C No Series, built 1963 · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6728U · registry record · serial 2460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After about 1 hour of normal flight, the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank and the engine restarted. About 5 minutes later, the engine lost power again. The pilot decided to land the airplane in a field since the nearest airport was about 8 miles away. Upon touchdown in the field, the airplane hit a berm, and the landing gear collapsed. The aft fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that he was not familiar with the recently purchased airplane’s fuel system. He also stated that he normally topped off his fuel tanks before each flight, but he did not do so before the accident flight. Examination of the airplane at the accident site confirmed that there was no usable fuel on board.
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 exhaustion during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 9:00 pm
- Destination: WDG Lahoma OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from WDG, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2021. 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 | _memorandum for the Record Pilot Telephone Conversation and Statement CEN20CA249 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | _memorandum for the Record On-scene FAA Inspector Findings CEN20CA249 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | _photo Array CEN20CA249 | PDF, 2 pages | 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.