Mooney M20K accident near Katy, Texas, January 31, 2019
On January 31, 2019 at about 10:10 pm local time, a 1983 Mooney M20K, registered N56359, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Katy, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2019 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Katy, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K NO SERIES, built 1983 · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N56359 · no longer on the register · serial 25-0745
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument-rated private pilot received a weather briefing before departing on the visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight, which included the presence of moderate to heavy precipitation, including some thunderstorms, near the destination airport. The pilot was advised that VFR flight was not recommended and that he should seek additional weather information as he neared his destination. Weather observations and satellite imagery indicated that instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed in the vicinity of where the pilot began making multiple course changes and at the accident site. It is likely that the pilot encountered rain, possibly heavy rain, during the final portion of the flight. Weather observations near the destination airports, AIRMETs, and visible satellite weather images all indicated that the pilot encountered IMC en route. Examinations of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The restricted visibility conditions present in the area were conducive to the development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane's maneuvering and spiraling descent are consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. It is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation during an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,736.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-360-LB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 7:51 pm
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from TME, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
17 documents, released by the NTSB on April 23, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weather Factual Report | PDF, 33 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Attachment 1 | GIF file | Download |
| 3 | Weather Attachment 2 | GIF file | Download |
| 4 | Weather Attachment 3 | GIF file | Download |
| 5 | Weather Attachment 4 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Attachment 5 | audio | View Download |
| 7 | Weather Attachment 6 | PDF, 74 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Weather Attachment 7 | zip file | Download |
| 9 | Weather Attachment 8 | video | View Download |
| 10 | Lasar Annunciator Panel Exam Results | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Memorandum of Record for Wreckage Exam | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Harris County Sheriff's Office Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 13 | Last Annual Exam Conducted Before Accident | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 14 | Interview with Pilot's Spouse | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 15 | Follow-up Email with Pilot's Spouse | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 16 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 17 | Alternator and Regulator Exam Notes | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.