Mooney M20F accident near Belton, Kentucky, March 2, 1982
On March 2, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N6318Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belton, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Belton, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6318Q · no longer on the register · serial 670411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LEVELING AT 2500 FT, OIL FUMES WERE NOTED, BUT NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE NOTED ON THE ENGINE GAUGES. THE PILOT SUSPECTED OIL HAD BEEN SPILLED DURING A REPAIR BEFORE TAKEOFF. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO INCREASE & WAS ADJUSTED BY THE PILOT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE FAILED. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH A ROAD & LANDED IN A FIELD. THE MAIN GEAR FAILED AFTER HITTING A DITCH. THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND & THE LEFT WING HIT A FENCE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THERE WAS OIL ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE CASE BETWEEN THE NUMBER 2 & 4 CYLINDERS. THE INLET OIL LINE TO THE OIL COOLER HAD CHAFED AGAINST THE EXHAUST STACK & WAS LEAKING. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROUTED UNDER A HEAT SHIELD & AWAY FROM THE EXHAUST STACK. THE OIL LINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A STANDARD, MEDIUM PRESSURE, STRATOFLEX HOSE (MIL-H-8794D) REINFORCED WITH A FIBER BRAIDS & A STEEL BRAID. THE INSTALLED HOSE HAD A SINGLE FIBER BRAID COVERING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,884 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Greenville KY at 4:45 pm
- Destination: M21 Bowling Green KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.