Mooney M20J accident near Tijeras, New Mexico, April 3, 1995
On April 3, 1995 at about 1:30 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4478H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tijeras, 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
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FOREIGN MATERIAL PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE FUEL SCREEN, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS. A 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
- April 3, 1995 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Tijeras, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4478H · registry record · serial 24-0745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, THEN LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE POWER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE COULD NOT REMEMBER IF HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A PARKED CAR. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE LEFT FUEL TANK FINGER SCREEN WAS FOUND TO BE BLOCKED BY GREEN LEAVES. THE ENGINE OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY AT FULL POWER AFTER THE FUEL SCREEN WAS CLEANED AND REINSTALLED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 490 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 418 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,223 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1994; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVS Las Vegas NM at 9:30 pm
- Destination: FHU Fort Huachuca AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.