Mooney M20E accident near Liberty, North Carolina, February 7, 1988
On February 7, 1988 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N2633W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberty, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 7, 1988 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Liberty, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N2633W · no longer on the register · serial 972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPTD THAT HE OVERESTIMATED THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD THE ACFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY LOST PWR AT CRUISE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LDG WAS MADE IN A FIELD. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE VAULTED THE CREST OF A SMALL HILL AND CAME BACK DOWN ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A TREE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,585 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1987; 28 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: MTV Martinsville VA at 7:55 pm
- Destination: AVL Asheville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.