Mooney M20A accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, October 18, 1998
On October 18, 1998 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N6534B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as result of the pilot's improper placement of the fuel tank selector switch. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the pilot to execute the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1998 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N6534B · registry record · serial 1203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power soon after departing from runway 35 at an altitude of 400 to 500 feet AGL. The pilot was aware during the preflight inspection that the left main fuel cell was 3/4 full and the right tank was very low on fuel. Prior to takeoff, the pilot inadvertently switched the fuel selector to the right fuel tank. The pilot assumed that the engine had malfunctioned and did not switch the fuel selector to the fullest tank. The 400 hour pilot landed the airplane in an open pasture with the landing gear extended. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a terrace, collapsing the landing gear. According to local law enforcement personnel that responded to the accident site, the pilot reported that 'the airplane ran out of fuel;' however, the left main fuel cell was approximately 3/4 full. The pilot added that the 1959 vintage airplane was equipped with a single fuel gauge controlled by a two-position toggle switch for both fuel cells.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 403 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,396 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSD at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PWA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW99LA010.