Mooney M20J accident near Andrews, North Carolina, June 11, 1990
On June 11, 1990 at about 2:45 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201SE, was destroyed in an accident near Andrews, North Carolina (Andrews/Murphy airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE OVER HIGH TERRAIN. DARKNESS AND HIGH TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1990 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Andrews, North Carolina · Andrews/Murphy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201SE · registry record · serial 24-0295
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON A NIGHT FLT FROM ANDREWS, NC, TO AMERICUS, GA. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ON 6/12/90, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON THE SE RIDGE OF A MOUNTAIN ABOUT 4 MI WNW OF THE DEPARTURE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 3100' AS THE ACFT WAS ON A WESTERLY HEADING. INITIAL IMPACT WAS WITH A TREE ABOUT 250' FROM WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.
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: 1,064 hours in all; 585 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,148 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: 6A3 Andrews NC at 2:45 am
- Destination: Americus GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from TYS, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N201SE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.