Mooney M20E accident near Starkville, Mississippi, April 21, 1993
On April 21, 1993 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N7985Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Starkville, Mississippi. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING AND IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1993 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Starkville, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N7985Q · no longer on the register · serial 0514
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP PILOT WAS IN VFR CRUISE FLIGHT AT 6,500 FEET AGL WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED A SERIOUS INJURY. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR 3 HOURS 40 MINUTES, AND THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS BY THE FAA REVEALED ABOUT 23 TO 25 OUNCES OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS.
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: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,939 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1992; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2RO Waynesboro MS at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:34 pm from GTR, 25 miles away
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.