Mooney M20F accident near Middlesboro, Kentucky, May 14, 1988
On May 14, 1988 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9654M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middlesboro, Kentucky (Middlesboro-Bell County 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
- May 14, 1988 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Middlesboro, Kentucky · Middlesboro-Bell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9654M · no longer on the register · serial 67023L
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES RPRTED THE ENG DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS PROVIDING FULL POWER DRG TAKEOFF & THAT ABT 3/4 OF THE 3600' RWY WAS USED FOR THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT CLIMBED AT A SHALLOW ANGLE TO ABT 250 TO 300 FT AGL. IT THEN ENTEREDA SHALLOW LEFT BANK. AFTER TURNING ABT 90 DEG, ITS NOSE PITCHED UP & THE ACFT CLIMBED ABT 100 FT. THE ACFT THEN SNAP- ROLLED TO THE LEFT, ENTERED A DSCNT & CRASHED NEXT TO A STORAGE BLDG IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS LOADED TO NEAR ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE ENGINE WAS SATISFACTORILY TEST-RUN AT RATED POWER. THE LNDG GEAR WAS FND IN THE FULLY RETRACTED PSN & THE FLAPS WERE FND FULLY EXTENDED. USING THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE WITH 15 DEG OF FLAPS (TAKEOFF FLAPS) WAS CALCULATED TO BE 977'.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,382 hours in all; 1,035 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,258 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,394 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1A6 at 3:15 pm
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,630 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.