Mooney M20J accident near Bay Minette, Alabama, December 14, 1995
On December 14, 1995 at about 1:15 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N3874H, was destroyed in an accident near Bay Minette, Alabama (Bay Minette airport). It was a business 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 alternate air door, which resulted in blockage of air through the induction system. A factor relating to the accident was: failure to comply with Safety Bulletin SB-M20-253.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 1995 · about 1:15 am local time · cases in 1995
- Place
- Bay Minette, Alabama · Bay Minette · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N3874H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0969
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 23 miles from the destination airport, the pilot reported to approach control that the engine had lost power. He declared an emergency, and the controller issued radar vectors toward the Bay Minette Municipal Airport. However, the pilot was forced to make an off-airport landing at night. During the landing, the airplane collided with a grove of trees about 1.75 from the airport. Wreckage examination revealed that the alternate air door was out of its normally installed position, and had blocked airflow to the engine induction ram air inlet. On 5/10/92, the manufacturer had issued a service bulletin (SB), SB-M20-253, which provided for repair of the alternate air door. Recent maintenance had been performed on the induction air box assembly, but there was no record of SB compliance. After the accident, on 12/22/95, the FAA issued a priority airworthiness directive (AD), which addressed this problem.
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: 241 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 196 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,928 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 28, 1995; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,746 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRB Sparta TN at 10:20 pm
- Destination: 4R4 Fairhope AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 4,280 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:21 am from MOB, 30 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3874H: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Mooney M-20 6,245 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Mooney 5,394 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D 74 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bay Minette Municipal · nearest airport
- Upper Cumberland Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,210 since 1982 · 172 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,348 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL96FA021.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.