Mooney M20J accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, March 25, 1994
On March 25, 1994 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4780H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama (Muscle Shoals airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS THE LOOSE THROTTLE CABLE, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1994 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama · Muscle Shoals · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4780H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0871
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER DURING TAKEOFf. A LONGER THAN NORMAL TAKE OFF ROLL OCCURRED, WHICH USED OVER HALF OF THE 4,000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE POWER OUTPUT DECREASED AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED A DOWNWIND AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY, AT LOW LEVEL. ON FINAL APPROACH, PRIOR TO REACHING THE RUNWAY, THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND LOOSE, WHICH PREVENTED OBTAINING FULL POWER. AN ENTRY IN THE AIRCRAFT LOG INDICATED THAT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE ENGINE LOG ALSO CONTAINED AN ENTRY INDICATING A 100 HOUR INSPECTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THE PREVIOUS DAY.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,523 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 3,253 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TLH Talahasse FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MSL, 1 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 N4780H 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.