Mooney M-20L incident near Augusta, Georgia, March 25, 1990
On March 25, 1990 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Mooney M-20L, registered N1024Z, suffered minor damage in an incident near Augusta, Georgia (Bush Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE REPORTED PERFORMANCE PROBLEM DURING CLIMBOUT WAS UNDETERMINED. THE PILOT'S DECISION TO LAND WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED CONTRIBUTED TO THE MINOR DAMAGE SUSTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1990 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · Bush Field · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20L · all M-20Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1024Z · registry record · serial 26-0041
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, THE PILOT REPORTED INSUFFICIENT ENGINE POWER ON THE GO PORTION OF THE PROCEDURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT DEVELOP SUFFICIENT POWER FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE A SAFE CLIMBOUT. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE CLIMB AND LANDED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 4000 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. RUNWAY 35 IS 8000 FEET LONG. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTIONS AND OPERATIONAL CHECKS OF THE ENGINE AND RELATED SYSTEMS FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY PERFORMANCE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL OR OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ITS SUBSYSTEMS. THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED POWER PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 350 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 191 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1989; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Porsche PFM 3200-N03 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Observation at 11:03 pm from AGS
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.
Other NTSB records under N1024Z 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.