- Date
- November 26, 1984, 15:13 local (21:13 UTC)
- Place
- Bethel, OK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4081HMooney M20J
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841126066669A
- Case key
- 21570
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
Despite a wx brief discouraging VFR flt the non-instrument rated plt departed at about 1330 CST. His stated dest was ft. worth, TX which is due north. After takeoff in VMC the acft flew NE toward an unknown dest. A wx study indicated conditions along the track of flt included fog, rain, and thunderstorms. The last portion of the flt was in the vicinity of thunderstorms, heavy rain, severe or greater turbulence, severe icing above 11,500 ft and low level wind shear. Radar plots recorded the acft ground track and showed very erratic airspeed and course during aprx the last 25 min of flt. 4 near 180 deg turns were made, alt was unknown. Impact occurred on a westerly heading in rocky, hilly terrain gear and flaps up. The descent angle was aprx vertical in an aprx 20 deg nose down left wing leading attitude. The ELT did not activate; air search was unsuccessful and terminated on 12-3-84. The wreckage was found by a helicopter on 9-11-85 in the commercial pine tree forest. Invest revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4081H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1056
- Airframe hours
- 1,026
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6DL, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sweetbriar Nursing Home
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 26, 1984 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- TO4 · Georgetown, TX
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,777 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,700 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 8 knots
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.