# NTSB MIA76FLD47: Mooney M20, N899B, Merritt Island, FL, March 7, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 7, 1976
- Place: Merritt Island, FL · MERRITT ISLAND, FL
- Location: 28.3092° N, 80.6760° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Merritt Island, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3092&lon=-80.6760&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 5 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 21, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 153822
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA76FLD47
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA76FLD47

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1244   76/3/7    MERRITT ISLAND,FL   MOONEY M20          CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 51, 2383
        TIME - 0820                    N899B               PX-  0  0  4  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 199 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - MERRITT ISLAND
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MERRITT ISLAND,FL           RIVER RANCH,FL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           FIRE OR EXPLOSION: IN FLIGHT                             IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS - UNDETERMINED
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - *ERROR-INVALID CODE*
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FIRE IN CABIN,COCKPIT,BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING ON AIRPORT/SEAPLANE BASE/HELIPT.
                                  DOOR/PANEL OPEN
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- FUSELAGE CARGO COMPT DOOR BLEW OPEN IN FLIGHT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N899B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N899B-1976-05-05), registration cancelled 1976-05-05, S/N 1062 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20
- Registry model: [Mooney M20](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20) (registry code 5870202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Merritt Island

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19760307005869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760307005869A), Mar 7, 1976: Mooney M20, Merritt Island, FL, Destroyed. Fuselage cargo compt door blew open in flight.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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