Mooney M20F accident near Alamo, Nevada, October 9, 2007
On October 9, 2007 at about 7:44 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9612M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alamo, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the number 2 cylinder piston compression ring, which resulted in oil exhaustion and a catastrophic internal engine failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2007 · about 7:44 pm local time
- Place
- Alamo, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9612M · no longer on the register · serial 670189
- 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 before departing for the cross-country flight, he added 1 quart of oil to the engine, for a total of 7 quarts. About an 1 hour 30 minutes into the flight, he noticed a rise in oil temperature. The pilot opened the cowl flaps and increased the mixture. This resulted in a drop in exhaust gas temperature (EGT). The oil temperature continued to rise; however, the oil pressure indicated a low reading. The pilot declared an emergency, and prepared to land on a dirt road. The pilot reported that the engine was backfiring before it suddenly stopped (froze). Once the engine quit, the airplane rolled sharply to the right. The pilot was able to correct back to level flight and landed in a sagebrush field close to a road, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings. Examination of the wreckage revealed a hole in the crankcase above and below the number 4 cylinder. An attempt was made to manually rotate the crankshaft; however, only partial rotation was possible about 8 inches in either direction. The examination also revealed no oil on the outside of the airplane or on the cowl. Investigators drained the oil out of the oil sump for a total of 0.75 to 1.25 quarts of oil. Along with the oil, portions of crankcase, lifter, piston, and connecting rod material were in the oil sump. The oil filter was opened and contained metallic debris throughout the filament and in the can. All of the cylinders exhibited internal mechanical damage, as well as thermal damage to the number 4 connecting rod journal. The number 2 piston compression ring remained in its ring land, but had broken into several pieces. Extensive oil coking signatures were noted around the circumference of the number 2 piston at the ring land, which is consistent with oil burn.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GNG Gooding ID at 5:00 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from VGT, 63 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.