Mooney M20F accident near Fabens, Texas, December 9, 2004
On December 9, 2004 at about 9:12 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3208F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fabens, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power as a result of the failure of a connecting rod due to oil starvation/exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2004 · about 9:12 pm local time
- Place
- Fabens, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3208F · no longer on the register · serial 670362
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 600-hour private pilot reported that he began "having engine difficulties." The pilot noticed, "the #2 cylinder head temperature gauge was indicating a lower than normal temperature, and shortly thereafter, there was a loss of engine oil pressure." The pilot then determined that there were no available airport landing sites, and few minutes later, the engine stopped. He prepared to execute an off-airfield emergency landing. He determined that the safest place to land was the westbound lane of an interstate highway below him. During the landing flare, the right wing of the airplane collided with the rear of a large semi-tractor truck that was traveling on the highway. The airplane then flipped over and came to rest inverted. A certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic examined the engine under the supervision of the FAA inspector. The examination revealed that the connecting rod to the # 2 piston was broken. The piston was seized inside of the cylinder and could not be removed. No rod bolts or hardware were found. There was damage to the engine case between the #2 and #4 cylinders. The spark plugs were removed and inspected, and no anomalies were found. The oil filter and oil screen were removed, and metal flakes were observed. Oil was not observed on the dipstick or anywhere in the engine, nor did it appear on the exterior surface of the airplane.
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: 600 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2004; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FST Fort Stockton TX at 8:15 pm
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from ELP, 22 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.