- Date
- December 30, 1988, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Perdido, AL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6969VMooney M20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881230057119A
- Case key
- 7973
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
While descending to 6000 feet the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine oil supply. The windscreen was covered with oil and the pilot had to use the side window to gain forward visibility. After completing the emergency landing check the engine seized. An emergency landing area was selected. The airplane collided with a tree about 10 feet above the ground. The airplane continued about 200 feet before coming to a stop in an upright position. The post crash examination indicated that the propeller assembly had separated from the engine propeller shaft. The fracture analysis of the bolts disclosed that four bolts failed in fatigue. The propeller was overhauled about 12 hours before the mishap. The overhaul facility reused the old bolts after magna-flux and plating. The installation torque was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6969V
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-1336
- Airframe hours
- 1,271
- Engine
- Lycoming I0-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas W. Mitchell
- Registered owner
- Thomas W Mitchell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 23, 1989 · 119 hours before
- Departed
- ISM · Kissimmee, FL
- Destination
- PIB · Hattiesburg, MS
- 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 382 total · 27 in this make and model · 277 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Observed at
- PNS, 30 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.