Mooney M20J incident near Dauphin Island, Alabama, June 20, 1982
On June 20, 1982 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201WX, suffered minor damage in an incident near Dauphin Island, Alabama (Dauphin Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 incident. 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
- June 20, 1982 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Dauphin Island, Alabama · Dauphin Island
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201WX · no longer on the register · serial 24 0296
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A NORMAL FLIGHT FROM BIRMINGHAM, AL, THE PILOT EXECUTED A VISUAL FULL CIRCUIT APPROACH TO RUNWAY 12 AT DAUPHIN ISLAND, AL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STABILIZED ON FINAL AT 72 KNOTS WITH FULL FLAPS AND THAT HE HAD A 5-10 KNOT CROSSWIND FROM THE SOUTH. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES DURING LANDING AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SAND DUNE AND DAMAGED THE PROPELLER AND THE NOSE GEAR. AFTER STRIKING THE DUNE THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD OFF THE AIRPORT IN SHALLOW WATER. THERE WAS NO REPORTED AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT MALFUNCTIONS. THIS WAS THE PILOTS FIRST FLIGHT AS PIC IN THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 365 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 723 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 159 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vulcan Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: Birmingham AL at 10:15 am
- Destination: STL St Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 3,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.