Mooney M20K accident near New Hudson, Michigan, February 10, 2001
On February 10, 2001 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N1157P, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Hudson, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate preflight planning/preparation which resulted in an adequate fuel supply for the flight and subsequently in fuel starvation. A factor associated with the accident was the steep bank which the airplane contacted during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 2001 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- New Hudson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1157P · registry record · serial 25-0647
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted the terrain during a forced landing on a frozen lake following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he departed Cincinnati, Ohio at 1330 for the one hour flight to Portland, Tennessee. He then departed Portland, Tennessee, at 1445 en route to Pontiac, Michigan. The pilot estimated having 80 gallons of fuel on board at the time of departure "…based upon visual inspection and my tank and dashboard gauges." The pilot reported he was level at 4,500 feet, 20 miles south of Pontiac, when there was a change in engine sound. He reported, "The pitch varied for about 3 seconds and then my TIT went to the top. I immediately richened the mixture. The gas gauges showed 1/3 on each tank. I had been alternating the tanks to keep them even during flight. Another 5 seconds passed and then the plane lost all power. I immediately switched from the left to the right tank. I hit the boost pump and after 2 seconds I got a 2 second burst of power which could not be replicated despite numerous efforts to do so." The pilot attempted to divert to the nearest airport but was unable to reach it. A forced landing was made on a frozen lake where the airplane slid across the lake coming to rest after contacting steep bank of the far shoreline. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed one quart of fuel remained in the right fuel tank and between 6 and 6 1/2 gallons of fuel were in the left tank. There was no evidence of fuel leakage on the frozen lake either during the accident or removal of the airplane. The airplane was equipped with the Rocket STC SA5691NM, for installation of the Continental TSIO-520-NB engine and a McCauley 3-blade propeller.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 477 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 24, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 2000; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M5 Portland TN at 6:30 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from PTK, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.