Mooney M20F accident near Birmingham, Alabama, February 15, 1988
On February 15, 1988 at about 1:20 am local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N7448V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- February 15, 1988 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · Birmingham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7448V · no longer on the register · serial 22 1225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A HILL AT NIGHT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PLT RPTD THAT HE 'EVIDENTLY GOT TOO LOW' ON THE APPROACH. THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 MILES. THE HILLY TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS UNDEVELOPED, AND HAD NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING ON IT TO PROVIDE VISUAL CUES.
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: 952 hours in all; 952 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 809 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: BHM Dyersburg TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,856 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:25 am from BHM, 1 miles away
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.