Mooney M20C accident near Fouke, Arkansas, August 1, 1989
On August 1, 1989 at about 2:00 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6249U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fouke, Arkansas. 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
THE PILOT'S INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, AT NIGHT. THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A FENCEPOST, GROUND SWERVE, AND COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1989 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Fouke, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6249U · no longer on the register · serial 2088
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING HIS LAST STOP, HE WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE FUEL AS THE ARPT WAS UNATTENDED AT THE TIME. CONTINUING ON WITHOUT REFUELING, THE ENGINE QUIT ABOUT 15 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED, DURING A DARK NIGHT, AND THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE, THEN SPUN AROUND CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. POST FLIGHT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL.
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: 513 hours in all; 309 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 423 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNV Cleveland MS
- Destination: TXK Texarkana AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Observation at 2:50 am from TXK, 15 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.