20260417006199A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20J · Union, SC · April 17, 2026

Date
April 17, 2026 · 17:50 local
Place
Union, SC
Airport
Union County, Troy Shelton Fie
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1151H
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR26FA160
Reported as
Mooney M20J
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
4
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Airplane taxied to the departure end of runway 23 and soon departed. A video captured the airplane shortly after departure about 1,000 ft from the departure end of runway 23, about 200 ft above ground level (AGL). The airplane banked right then quickly rolled left and descended behind trees. Subsequently, a plume of smoke rose from the trees.

At this time there is no known cause of the accident. This -23 will be amended when and if additional information is obtained.

As the FAA filed it

AIRPLANE TAXIED TO THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 23 AND SOON DEPARTED. A VIDEO CAPTURED THE AIRPLANE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE ABOUT 1,000 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 23, ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THE AIRPLANE BANKED RIGHT THEN QUICKLY ROLLED LEFT AND DESCENDED BEHIND TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, A PLUME OF SMOKE ROSE FROM THE TREES.

AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO KNOWN CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THIS -23 WILL BE AMENDED WHEN AND IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS OBTAINED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

Other reports on N1151H · 1

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