Mooney M20 accident near Northlake, Texas, March 18, 2026
On March 18, 2026 at about 9:38 pm local time, a 1963 Mooney M20, registered N1374W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Northlake, Texas (Aero Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2026 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- Northlake, Texas · Aero Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 C, built 1963 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N1374W · registry record · serial 2655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed from the airport for the short local area flight. Shortly after the pilot configured the airplane for cruise flight, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot activated the electric boost pump, and he reached down to touch the fuel selector, located on the left side cockpit floor. He thought that the fuel selector was set to the right-wing fuel tank. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot elected to land at the departure airport. Due to the pilot prematurely extending the main landing gear, he performed a forced landing to a grass field located to the north of the departure airport. The right wing impacted trees, and the airplane came to rest upright on the grass field. Postaccident examination found the left-wing fuel tank was empty, the right-wing fuel tank had minimal fuel, and the fuel selector was found set to the left-wing fuel tank. There were no signs of fuel leakage at the accident site. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane flight manual preflight checks state “check fuel” and the airplane flight manual starting checks state “fuel valve on (right or left main).” The pilot admitted that he made an error, and he felt that, like most other general aviation accidents, it should never have happened.
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)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Evacuation during post (impact)
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 159 hours in all; 38.7 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 13, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,703.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 2026; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-360-A1D (piston); 3,725 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Northlake TX at 9:36 pm
- Destination: PVT Springtown TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from KAFW, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFW 182053Z 17015G20KT 10SM BKN250 22/06 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP182 T02220056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of the front of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 2 – View of the left side of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 3 – View of the right side of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 4 – View of the fuel selector located on the left side cockpit floorThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Mooney - M20C Airplane Flight Manual and Owner's Manual Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA144.