N6927U

On August 3, 2000, at 0926 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20E, N6927U, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with road signs during a forced landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Albuquerque about 0920.

According to the pilot's accident report, he departed Albuquerque's Double Eagle II Airport (AEG), and was en route to Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). "Three minutes into [the] flight, [the] engine just quit," he wrote. He switched the fuel selector from the left to the right tank, turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, and fully enriched the fuel mixture. The engine did not start. The pilot made a forced landing on a street. During the landing roll, the airplane struck road signs, damaging the outboard 3 feet of both wings. The pilot said the main spar was undamaged, but FAA inspectors reported damaged stringers, ribs, and skin.

FAA inspectors also said the pilot told them he had departed Albuquerque International Sunport with half-full fuel tanks, and had flown to Santa Fe and Los Alamos, New Mexico. From there, he flew to Double Eagle II Airport. He did not purchase fuel at either airport. He departed Double Eagle II Airport and was en route to Albuquerque International Sunport when the engine lost power. When the inspectors examined the airplane at the accident site, they found the left tank was "bone dry" and only "residual" fuek could be detected in the right tank. The airplane has a fuel capacity of 52 gallons.