Mooney M20M accident near Youngs Bottom, West Virginia, March 27, 1992
On March 27, 1992 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N9136J, was destroyed in an accident near Youngs Bottom, West Virginia. 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN DEGRADED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE, INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, AND AERODYNAMIC STALL. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1992 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Youngs Bottom, West Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9136J · registry record · serial 27-0064
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS BEING VECTORED AND SEQUENCED FOR AN ILS APPROACH, AND WAS DESCENDED FROM 9000 TO 3000 FT MSL. HE WAS HANDLED BY CHARLESTON (CRW) APPROACH CONTROL FOR ABOUT 20 MIN; SEVERAL PILOTS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH CRW REPORTED AIRFRAME ICING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING ICING. SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT WAS VECTORED ONTO THE APPROACH COURSE, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER REPORTED HE WAS 2 MI SOUTH OF COURSE AND 300 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CLIMB. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE CONTROLLER LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PILOT. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE DESCEND AND INDICATED THE WINGS WERE 'ROCKING.' WITNESSES REPORTED THE WEATHER AS A LOW OVERCAST WITH FREEZING RAIN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED 'CHUNKS OF ICE' AROUND THE WRECKAGE, AND ONE WITNESS STATED THERE WAS ICE ALONG THE THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE.
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: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AF1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LIT Little Rock AK at 4:10 pm
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CRW, 999 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.