# Accident 19890527013079A: Mooney M20J, Big Pine Key, FL, May 27, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 27, 1989, 02:28 local time
- Place: Big Pine Key, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 24.6696° N, 81.3506° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.6696&lon=-81.3506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3201U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3201U-1989-11-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A3B6
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 851 total, 99 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA89LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA89LA159) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890527013079A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NIGHT FLIGHT OVER WATER. AIRCRAFT DETECTED MANEUVERING ERRATICALY BY ATC RADAR. CRASHED INTO GULF. SANK.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA89LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA89LA159), May 27, 1989: Mooney M20J (N3201U), Big Pine Key, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS (DARK NIGHT) AND WEATHER (HAZE) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

## Other reports on N3201U (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19790510026099I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790510026099I), May 10, 1979: Mooney M20J (N3201U), Berrien Springs, MI, Minor damage. Aircraft was landed with gear partially extended after electrical failure.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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