Mooney M20F accident near Pageland, South Carolina, January 11, 1991
On January 11, 1991 at about 7:27 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N6858V, was destroyed in an accident near Pageland, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE MALFUNCTION OF A GYRO INSTRUMENT (PROBABLY THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 1991 · about 7:27 pm local time
- Place
- Pageland, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6858V · no longer on the register · serial 72-1251
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED A SYSTEM PROBLEM AND REQUESTED CLEARANCE BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. SOON THEREAFTER, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE HE WAS EXPERIENCING A GYRO PROBLEM. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM N6858V. INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLYING IN CLOUDS BEFORE IT CRASHED. REPORTEDLY, IT MADE AN 'S' TURN, THEN IT WAS OBSERVED BELOW THE CLOUDS, SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY OBVIOUS MALFUNCTION OR CONTROL FAILURE. EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND VACUUM SYSTEM COMPONENTS FAILED TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. BOTH GYROS SHOWED SIGNS OF ROTATION, AND THE VACUUM PUMP SUSTAINED IMPACT DAMAGE. A LOW LEVEL OF ETHANOL WAS DETECTED IN THE PILOT'S LIVER TISSUE, BUT NONE WAS FOUND IN KIDNEY TISSUE.
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: 745 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,985 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EQY Monroe NC at 7:10 pm
- Destination: CRE Grand Strand SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CLT, 35 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.
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.