Mooney M20 accident near Rogers, Arkansas, July 9, 2008
On July 9, 2008 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N7072V, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Rogers, Arkansas (Rogers Municipal-Carter Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2008 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rogers, Arkansas · Rogers Municipal-Carter Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N7072V · no longer on the register · serial 20-1209
- 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 she departed on a cross-country flight, with a planned duration of about 3 hours and 20 minutes. During the flight she leaned the mixture and switched fuel tanks on the hour. During the approach to the destination airport the engine "coughed and ran rough", the pilot stated that she changed fuel tanks and turned on the boost pump. The engine "coughed" again, and she determined that she could not make the runway, which was about 4 miles way. She elected to perform a forced landing in a nearby field. The aircraft was substantially damaged during the forced landing. Air traffic control tower's last radio contact with the aircraft stated that the pilot reported that she did not have enough gas and would have to land in a field. Aircraft recovery personnel reported that the fuel tanks had not been breeched during the accident and that the fuel tanks were empty.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,698 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,489 as pilot in command; 4,699 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX
- Destination: ROG Rogers AR
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KROG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.