Mooney M20E accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota, April 8, 1989
On April 8, 1989 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N9424V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota (Lake Elmo airport). 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
FUEL TANK SELECTOR IMPROPERLY POSITIONED, EMERGENCY PROCEDURE IMPROPERLY PERFORMED BY THE PILOT, AND FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1989 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Elmo, Minnesota · Lake Elmo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9424V · no longer on the register · serial 700026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FOR A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTY FLIGHT, THE PLT NOTICED A LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. HE SWITCHED ON THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WHICH FAILED TO RESTORE FUEL PRESSURE. HE TURNED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED ON A SOFT, MUDDY FARM FIELD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BE ON THE RIGHT HAND TANK, IN WHICH THERE WAS NO VISABLE FUEL. THE ACFT WAS OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 164 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,766 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1987; 284 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: 21D Lake Elmo MN at 12:50 pm
- Destination: FAR Fargo ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from MSP, 10 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.