Mooney M20A accident near Gresham, Oregon, March 21, 2001
On March 21, 2001 at about 9:29 pm local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N8346E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gresham, Oregon (Not Applicable airport). It was a personal 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's inadequate decision in which he failed to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2001 · about 9:29 pm local time
- Place
- Gresham, Oregon · Not Applicable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N8346E · no longer on the register · serial 1524
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed Tracy, California, on a nonstop delivery flight to the new owner of the recently sold 1959 Mooney M20A. Approximately three hours and 19 minutes later (more than 470 nautical miles of flight), descending toward his destination of Troutdale, Oregon, the engine stopped. The pilot executed an emergency landing to a golf course approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of his destination airport and the aircraft impacted trees during the forced landing to a golf course. The pilot fueled before departing and believed both wing tanks were full (17.5 gallon capacity each) and that the "...auxiliary tank sounded full...." A police officer from the Gresham Police Department interviewed the pilot immediately following the accident and reported to an FAA inspector that the pilot stated that he "...couldn't understand how he could have run out of gas but when the engine quit he switched tanks and tried everything he could but the engine wouldn't start. All his fuel gauges read empty...." The FAA inspector found six ounces of fuel in each wing tank and less than one gallon in the auxiliary tank (14 gallon capacity).
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCY Tracy CA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: TTD Troutdale OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 9:43 pm from TTD, 3 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.