Mooney M20J accident near Coalinga, California, October 23, 2016
On October 23, 2016 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1977 Mooney M20J, registered N201EU, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Coalinga, California. 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
A partial loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2016 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Coalinga, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J, built 1977 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201EU · no longer on the register · serial 24-0164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a local flight when the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot stated that he switched the fuel selector from the right to the left tank, applied full throttle, set the mixture control to full rich, and extended the wing flaps. The engine seemed to continue running during the forced landing. The airplane impacted a stand of almond trees and came to rest in a nose-down attitude about 1 1/2 miles from the destination. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and stated that there was enough fuel to get to the destination, "but not all in the tank that was being drawn from." A postaccident examination revealed that the right wing tank, which was undamaged, was void of any usable fuel; about 4 ounces of fuel was drained from the tank. Also, there was no evidence of a fuel leak from either wing tank. The fuel selector was observed positioned to draw fuel from the left tank, which contained about 7 gallons of fuel. Further examination revealed that the fuel control unit's inlet finger strainer was clean and free of obstructions. Additionally, the fuel supply line contained a small amount of clean, blue-colored fuel when disconnected. No water or particulate contaminates were detected in the fuel system. A postaccident engine run revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The partial loss of engine power was likely due to the pilot's improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine after all of the usable fuel in the right wing tank had been consumed.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 986 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 928 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,453.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2016; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HJO Hanford CA
- Destination: 3O8 Coalinga CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 25, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Run Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.