Mooney M-20F accident near Red Bay, Alabama, July 1, 1984
On July 1, 1984 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Mooney M-20F, registered N3207F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Bay, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- July 1, 1984 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Red Bay, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20F · all M-20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3207F · registry record · serial 670361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP SHORT OF THE RWY IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RWY AFTER A POWER LOSS AT LOW ALT. DURING TAKEOFF THE ARPT MANAGER SAID THE ENGINE SOUND CHANGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH POWER LOSS FROM FUEL STARVATION. FAA DID A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEST RUN AND HAD TO RUN THE ENGINE RICH WITH BOOST PUMP ON TO KEEP IT RUNNING. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHY IT WAS RUNNING LEAN. THE FUEL INJECTOR INLET SCREEN SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CORROSION AND RUST. FUEL FLOW WAS FOUND TO BE LEAN. INJECTORS AND FLOW DIVIDER WERE REMOVED FOR A CHECK. THE INJECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH DIRT, RUST AND WATER. THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS WORN AND BINDING. THE IDLE MIXTURE SETTING WAS ADJUSTEDTO THE LEAN SIDE. WHEN THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REINSTALLED, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND RICH. LEANED WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY AT ALL SETTINGS. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE LINKAGE.
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: 468 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 428 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,383 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1983; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SIK Sikeston MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MSC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.