Mooney M20E accident near Seale, Alabama, June 9, 1984
On June 9, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N3494X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seale, Alabama (Joe Mathous airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 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
- June 9, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Seale, Alabama · Joe Mathous · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N3494X · registry record · serial 1162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT APPROACHED DOWNWIND AT 80 MPH WITH FULL FLAPS. AT TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT BOUNCED AND FLOATED ABOUT 600 FT BEFORE A 2ND TOUCHDOWN. WHEN THE ACFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED ON THE SHORT GRASS RWY, IT WAS GROUNDLOOPED TO STAY ON THE ARPT. DURING THE GROUNDLOOP THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED. THIS WAS THE PLTS 1ST LANDING IN THIS ACFT ON A SHORT GRASS RWY. PREVIOUSLANDINGS WERE ON HARD SURFACE RWYS OF 3000 FT OR MORE.
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: 142 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 88 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 1983; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CSG Columbus OH at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 1,588 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from CSG, 18 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.