Mooney M20C accident near Bolingbrook, Illinois, September 17, 2008
On September 17, 2008 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N5651Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bolingbrook, Illinois (Clow Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-mechanical loss of engine power due to the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector prior to takeoff and the subsequent fuel starvation during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2008 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bolingbrook, Illinois · Clow Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5651Q · registry record · serial 3019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he performed a "runup" and switched the fuel tank selector to the fullest tank prior to takeoff on a cross-country flight. During takeoff the pilot retracted the landing gear, climbed to about 300 feet above ground level, and then encountered a loss of engine power. He stated that he banked left to avoid housing and landed the airplane at an intersection with stopped traffic. An airframe and powerplant mechanic that assisted the first responders stated that he found the fuel selector switch in the four o'clock position between the three o'clock right hand tank position and the six o'clock off position. An on-scene examination of the airplane revealed no other preimpact anomalies.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Fuel starvation during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 975 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,797.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C5 Morris IL
- Destination: C09 Morris IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.