Mooney M20K accident near Kennett, Missouri, July 4, 2005
On July 4, 2005 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N5791U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennett, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel starvation, inadequate preflight planning and preparation, and inadequate in-flight planning/decision by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2005 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kennett, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5791U · no longer on the register · serial 25-0855
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain during a final approach to the destination airport. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power about 1/4 mile from the landing runway and 200-300 feet above ground level. The airplane impacted terrain about 200 feet from the touchdown zone of the landing runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank contained less than 6 ounces of fuel and the left fuel tank contained 8.5 gallons of fuel. During the inspection, the left fuel gauge indicated 9 gallons of fuel.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 401 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-MB4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Miami FL
- Destination: TKX Kennett MO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.