Mooney M20J accident near Covington, Tennessee, May 11, 1985
On May 11, 1985 at about 9:44 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5765K, was destroyed in an accident near Covington, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- May 11, 1985 · about 9:44 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5765K · no longer on the register · serial 24-1481
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY, EXCEPT ONE ARTCC CONTROLLER HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH THE PLT DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE FLT. AFTER CRUISING AT 11,000 FT FOR APRX 2 HRS, THE PLT OBTAINED UPDATED WX INFO & REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND TO 9000 FT TO AVOID BUILD-UPS. HE WAS CLEARED TO DEVIATE & DESCEND AT HIS DISCRETION & HE ACKNOWLEDGED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. AN IN-FLT BREAK-UP OCCURRED & THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A WIDE AREA. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS WERE FOUND APRX 2-1/2 MI FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAD FAILED IN A SLIGHT UP & REARWARD DIRECTION. NO PRE-ACCIDENT FAILURES WERE FOUND. WX DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT LIKELY PENETRATED THE EDGE OF A STRONG (VIP LEVEL 3) THUNDERSTORM WITH SEVERE TURBULENCE, RAIN & UP/DOWNDRAFTS. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED A SMALL AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL (0.05%); HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT DUE TO POSSIBLE PUTREFACTION OR CONTAMINATION WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Somody Supply,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: St.Joseph MO at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Tallahassee FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 8:56 pm from NQA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.