Mooney M20C accident near Hillsville, Virginia, August 16, 1986
On August 16, 1986 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N3986N, was destroyed in an accident near Hillsville, Virginia (Galex-Hillsville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- August 16, 1986 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsville, Virginia · Galex-Hillsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3986N · no longer on the register · serial 680013
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, ALSO AN A&P AND IA, HAD FLOWN THE ACFT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AND NOTED RPM AT 2500 ON INITIAL CLIMB. ON THE ACCIDENT FLT, THE ACFT WAS LOADED TO NEAR MAX GROSS WEIGHT AND TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED AT A DENSITY ALT OF 4810 FT MSL. THE ACFT USED ABOUT 3/4 OF THE 4200 FT RWY FOR TAKEOFF ROLL.THE PLT RATED PASSENGER STATED THAT THE STALL WARNING CAME ON SHORTLY AFTER LIFT OFF AND STAYED ON UNTIL IMPACT. THE PLT STATED THAT THERE WAS A NOTICABLE LOSS OF PWR ABOUT .4 MILES FROM THE RWY AND THE STALL WARNING DID NOT ACTIVATE UNTIL THEN. THE PLT HAD FLOWN 1 HOUR IN THIS MAKE/MODEL ACFT DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,138 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 3,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A10 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.