Mooney M20F accident near Tallahassee, Florida, August 11, 1997
On August 11, 1997 at about 5:25 am local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3455X, was destroyed in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Regional airport). It was a personal 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
fatigue failure of the crankshaft for undetermined reasons. Related factors were: darkness, and obstructions (trees) in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1997 · about 5:25 am local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3455X · no longer on the register · serial M20F670033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight at 5,000 feet msl in night visual conditions, the pilot reported a rough engine. ATC provided vectors to the nearest airport. Before reaching the airport, the engine quit. A forced landing was made about 2 miles short of the airport in a densely wooded area. After colliding with trees, the airplane impacted the ground, inverted. A postcrash ground fire destroyed the airplane. The engine crankshaft was found fractured through the #1 rod journal. Fracture features were mechanically damaged; the precise origin of the fracture could not be determined during a metallurgical examination. Examination of the airplane and engine records revealed no evidence of a propeller strike or previous impact damage.
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: 945 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 263 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 857 as pilot in command; 569 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,733 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 3:01 am
- Destination: X16 Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 am from TLH, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N3455X 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.