Mooney M20J accident near Sardis, Alabama, November 19, 1982
On November 19, 1982 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N7201Y, was destroyed in an accident near Sardis, Alabama (Craig Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 19, 1982 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sardis, Alabama · Craig Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N7201Y · no longer on the register · serial 24-0602
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM MEMPHIS, TN TO SELMA, AL. DURING ARRIVAL, HE WAS CLEARED FOR AN NDB APPROACH TO THE CRAIG AIRPORT. AT THAT TIME, THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS MEASURED 400 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 1/2 MI WITH FOG. THE WEATHER MINIMUMS FOR THE APPROACH WERE 700 FT CEILING, 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRY THE APPROACH, AND IF HE DID NOT MAKE IT, HE WOULD GO TO MONTGOMERY, AL. THE CONTROLLER LOST CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE APPROACH WAS STARTED (AT DUSK). A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT CRASHED. HE STATED THAT HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT BANK TO MISS A 50 FT TREE, THEN DISAPPEAR INTO THE FOG. THIS WITNESS ESTIMATED THAT THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE BOTH ABOUT 100 FT. TWO MERCURY VAPOR SECURITY LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED ON THE FARM WHERE THE PLANE CRASHED. THEY WERE LOCATED BETWEEN THE FINAL APPROACH FIX AND THE RUNWAY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT AIRCRAFT MALFUNCTIONS.
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: 744 hours in all; 36 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 669 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,838 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lazy 8 Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: Memphis TN at 3:40 pm
- Destination: Selma AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; 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.