Mooney M20F accident near Landenberg, Pennsylvania, February 28, 2007
On February 28, 2007 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3278F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Landenberg, Pennsylvania (New Castle Airport). It was a personal flight 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 improper preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and subsequent forced landing to a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2007 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Landenberg, Pennsylvania · New Castle Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3278F · no longer on the register · serial 679371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Mooney M20F departed on a local flight. Approximately 30 to 35 minutes after takeoff, the airplane's engine began to sputter, which was followed by a total loss of power. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and airframe during an ensuing forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were intact, however, they contained no fuel. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane and attributed the loss of engine power to fuel exhaustion. He reported 2,065 hours of total flight experience, which included approximately 292 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,065 hours in all; 292 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,861 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILG New Castle DE
- Destination: ILG New Castle DE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ILG, 12 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.