N79396Mooney M20C · 1965

On January 1, 2022, about 1211 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20C, N79396, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Arcadia Municipal Airport (X06), Arcadia, Florida. The private pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection before departing from Pilot Country Airport (X05), Brooksville, Florida, about 1100. He verified that the airplane had 19 gallons of fuel onboard, which he determined was sufficient to complete the 76.5-nautical mile flight (and have a 1-hour reserve) to X06, where he planned to purchase fuel.

The pilot stated that the flight to X06 was uneventful until he turned onto final approach to land. He indicated that, with the fuel selector set to the right-wing tank while the airplane was at an altitude of 300 to 400 ft, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot reported that the fuel gauge showed about 4 gallons of fuel in the right tank and that the fuel boost pump was turned on. The pilot also reported that the carburetor ice temperature sensor indicated 60°F. The pilot stated that the airplane was unable to maintain altitude and that he landed in a field adjacent to the runway. The right wing and left horizontal stabilizer struck a tree, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported a strong smell of fuel as he and the passenger were exiting the airplane.

According to recovery personnel, both wing fuel tanks were breached from impact and contained no usable fuel.

A test run of the engine found that the engine ran normally through all power settings. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

A review of the airplane’s fueling history revealed that the pilot last fueled the airplane with 41.8 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel 5 days before the accident. The airplane has a total usable fuel load of 52 gallons. The pilot stated that he had flown about 4 hours since last refueling the airplane.