Mooney M20A accident near Parris Island, South Carolina, January 26, 1990
On January 26, 1990, a Mooney M20A, registered N8199E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Parris Island, South Carolina. 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS ABOARD FOR THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1990
- Place
- Parris Island, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N8199E · no longer on the register · serial 1470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT NONE OF THE THREE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED ANY FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED TO FULL POWER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHEN FUEL WAS SUPPLIED. RECORDS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST FUELED 3.47 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS BROUGHT UP TO 34 USABLE GALLONS. ACCORDING TO ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS, THE ENGINE CONSUMED 11.0 GALLONS AT 75% POWER, 10.3 GALLONS AT 70% POWER, AND 9.5 GALLONS AT 65% POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,420 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 1,381 as pilot in command; 528 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1989; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 49J Hilton Head SC
- Destination: 73J Beaufort SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from NBC, 1 miles away
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.