Mooney M20G accident near Henderson, North Carolina, January 10, 1982
On January 10, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20G, registered N3688N, was destroyed in an accident near Henderson, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 10, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20G · all M20Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3688N · no longer on the register · serial 680037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS WIFE WERE AT 6000 FT ON A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY WHEN HE BECAME UNCONSCIOUS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A WING LEVELER AND CONTINUED IN LEVEL FLIGHT WHILE THE PILOT'S WIFE ATTENDED TO HIM. WHEN THE PILOT'S WIFE COULD DO NOTHING MORE FOR HIM, SHE REMOVED HIS GLASSES, WHICH HAD THE MICROPHONE AND EARPHONE ATTACHED, AND PUT THEM ON. SHE CALLED FOR HELP, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE A REPLY. SHE STATED THAT THE EARPHONE DID NOT FIT HER EAR AND THE GLASSES WERE TOO WIDE. SHE WAS NOT A PILOT, BUT SHE MANAGED TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT WHILE SHE LOOKED FOR AN AIRPORT. AFTER A WHILE, SHE ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE SHORT OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO AN EMPTY TANK. THE OTHER TANK STILL CONTAINED FUEL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,828 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,447 as pilot in command; 1,644 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,651 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chesapeake Storage Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: RWI Rocky Mount NC at 10:46 am
- Destination: TBR Statesboro GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 37 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 pm from RDU, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.