Mooney M20C accident near Roswell, New Mexico, August 3, 1990
On August 3, 1990 at about 5:47 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N5677Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roswell, New Mexico. 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 INTENTIONAL WHEELS UP LANDING IN SOFT TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS, IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR DURING ATTEMPTED RESTARTS, AND THE SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1990 · about 5:47 pm local time
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5677Q · registry record · serial 3037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT SAID HE HAD 52 GALS FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE DEPARTED EL PASO, TX, EN ROUTE TO ROSWELL, NM ON PRACTICE X-COUNTRY FLT. HE MADE TWO PRACTICE ILS APCHS AT ROSWELL, THEN STARTED CLIMBING TOWARDS ROSWELL VORTAC, EN ROUTE BACK TO EL PASO. AS HE REACHED 4500 FEET MSL, ENG LOST PWR. PLT TURNED BACK TOWARDS ROSWELL, ESTABLISHED GLIDE, AND DECLARED EMERG. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENG BUT HAD NO SUCCESS. REALIZING HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALT TO REACH ARPT, PLT MADE INTENTIONAL WHEELS-UP LANDING ON SOFT, IRREGULAR TERRAIN. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED FUEL SELECTOR WAS BETWEEN OFF AND RIGHT TANK DETENTS. FUEL SUPPLY LINE WAS DISCONNECTED. WHEN MASTER AND BOOST PUMP SWITCHES WERE TURNED ON, NO FUEL CAME OUT. WHEN FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED COMPLETELY TO RIGHT TANK, STILL NO FUEL CAME OUT. WHEN FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED TO LEFT TANK, FUEL POURED OUT OF FUEL SUPPLY LINE. EXAMINATION OF INTACT FUEL TANKS REVEALED LEFT TANK CONTAINED FUEL; RIGHT TANK DID NOT.
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
- Flight time: 525 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 381 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:56 pm from ROW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.