- Date
- May 11, 1985, 16:44 local (21:44 UTC)
- Place
- Covington, TN
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5765KMooney M20J
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850511016469A
- Case key
- 6609
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After takeoff, the flt progressed normally, except one ARTCC controller had difficulty communicating with the plt during the early part of the flt. After cruising at 11,000 ft for aprx 2 hrs, the plt obtained updated wx info & requested clearance to descend to 9000 ft to avoid build-ups. He was cleared to deviate & descend at his discretion & he acknowledged. Shortly thereafter, radar & radio contact were lost. An in-flt break-up occurred & the wreckage was scattered over a wide area. The horizontal stabilizers were found aprx 2-1/2 mi from the main wreckage. There was evidence that they had failed in a slight up & rearward direction. No pre-accident failures were found. Wx data showed that the acft likely penetrated the edge of a strong (vip level 3) thunderstorm with severe turbulence, rain & up/downdrafts. A check of the plt's blood showed a small amount of alcohol (0.05%); however, the amount due to possible putrefaction or contamination was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5765K
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1481
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Somody Supply,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Somody Supply,Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- St.Joseph, MO
- Destination
- Tallahassee, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Observed at
- NQA, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.