- Date
- August 6, 1988, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Burkesville, KY
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6864VMooney M20F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880806030999A
- Case key
- 7797
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
The plt reported that the airplane encountered heavy rain and extreme turbulence while flying over a black cloud at 8,500 ft. he stated that it was as if an 'invisible tornado had reached out' and grabbed the airplane; excessive climb & descent rates were experienced, and control of the airplane was lost. The airplane entered a spin and descended several thousand ft into trees. The wings were torn off on impact with the trees, and the airplane subsequently impacted the terrain inverted. When questioned about pre-flight preparation, the plt stated that he had not obtained a wx briefing from flt svc, but noted that he was aware of a cold front in the area. The plt reported that he had an instrument rating. According to FAA records, he was not instrument rated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6864V
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-1257
- Airframe hours
- 1,660
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward J. Geyman
- Registered owner
- Knowles, Thomas C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 9A7 · Jonesboro, GA
- Destination
- Madison, IN
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 30 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.