NTSB Factual Report

On July 12, 2003, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N33WL, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Utica, Ohio. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed Darby Dan Airport (6I6), Galloway, Ohio. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was destined for Knox County Airport (4I3), Mount Vernon, Ohio, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to a written statement from the pilot, he performed a preflight of the airplane prior to an initial departure from Knox County Airport, and determined that there were 20 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank, and 12 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank. He computed that he had sufficient fuel for four planned flights with 30 minutes of reserve, at a total planned duration of 3.2 hours. He had planned on an en route airspeed of 105 knots, which according to the flight manual, would have resulted in a fuel burn of 8 gallons per hour (gph). He departed Knox County Airport for Darby Dan Airport, picked up a passenger, and proceeded to Put in Bay Airport (3W2), Put in Bay, Ohio. Due to traffic at Put in Bay, he circled for 15 minutes prior to landing. At Put in Bay, he checked his fuel quantity, and estimated it at 36 pounds in the left tank and 18 pounds in the right tank. The pilot reported that no fuel was available at Put in Bay, and that at 1900, he departed for Darby Dan Airport.

According to the pilot, there was also no fuel available at Darby Dan Airport, and he did not check the fuel quantity in the tanks. After departure from Darby Dan, en route to Knox County Airport, the engine experienced a loss of fuel pressure and loss of engine power. The pilot commenced a glide, located an empty field and set up for a forced landing. He reported that he cleared trees at 200 feet; however, the airspeed had decreased to stall speed. He lowered the nose to regain airspeed, and at 60 knots pulled back to flare. The airplane contacted the ground in a nose-low pitch attitude, and drove the nosewheel into the soft ground.

In a telephone interview, the pilot also reported that although he had planed his fuel consumption at a power setting to achieve 105 knots or 120 mph, he had used a power setting that gave him a speed of 120 knots, or 138 mph. The pilot also reported that after the accident, the fuel tanks were empty.

A check of the route between Darby Dan Airport, and Knox County Airport revealed the pilot would have been able to divert to either Ohio State University Airport, Columbus, Ohio, where services were available from 0630 to 2300, or to Port Columbus International Airport, where services were available for 24 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the unsuitable terrain.