Mooney M-20A accident near Prattville, Alabama, January 29, 1983
On January 29, 1983 at about 6:58 pm local time, a Mooney M-20A, registered N8146E, was destroyed in an accident near Prattville, Alabama (Autauga Conty airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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 29, 1983 · about 6:58 pm local time
- Place
- Prattville, Alabama · Autauga Conty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20A · all M-20As on the register
- Registration
- N8146E · no longer on the register · serial 1417
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AS THE PLT BEGAN A PULL-UP AFTER A LOW PASS. THE SEPARATION POINT WAS IN THE WING ROOT WHERE THEMAIN SPAR HAD BEEN SECURED TO THE FUSELAGE WITH A METAL BRACKET. A BUTT SPLICE HAD BEEN MADE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WING SPAR. THE FRACTURE AREA AT THE ROOT END OF THE MAIN WING SPAR WAS SOFT, DAMP & DISCOLORED COMPARED TO OTHER WOOD IN THE AREA. THE BUTT JOINT WAS LATER DETERMINED AS HAVING NO CAPABILITY FOR TRANSFERRING AXIAL STRESSES. THIS REPAIR WAS NOT DONE UNDER SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED MECHANIC. THE ACFT HAD OPERATED 40 HRS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION DATED 6/8/82. AD76-15-1 (INSPECTION OF THE WOOD WING) REQUIRES THAT THE WOOD WING BE INSPECTED IAW MOONEY SB M20-170A.
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; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 281 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 227 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1982; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Auburn AL at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MGM, 10 miles away
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.