Mooney M20K accident near Lakeport, California, August 8, 1997
On August 8, 1997 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N321RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeport, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
the pilot's inadequate preflight by failing to ensure that the fuel selector was positioned to a tank containing fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation, and a forced landing shortly after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1997 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N321RM · registry record · serial 25-0230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was in the shop to have the left fuel tank resealed. During the tank sealing procedure, all fuel was drained from the left tank. After the work was completed, the pilot/mechanic departed on a test flight to return the aircraft to service without refueling the left tank. The pilot stated he was positive the fuel selector was positioned for the right tank, which was nearly full. Engine start, taxi, run-up, and the takeoff were normal. During the initial climb, the engine lost power, and the pilot could not return to the runway. The aircraft was landed in a field, and it sustained substantial wing damage. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the aircraft. He reported that the left tank was completely empty and that abundant fuel was present in the right tank. The fuel line into the distributor manifold was loosened, and the electric fuel pump was energized; air came out of the line at first, followed by a steady stream of fuel. The line was then reconnected. Using the aircraft systems and right tank fuel, the engine was then started, and it operated satisfactorily.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O2 at 6:13 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.