Mooney M-20 accident near Shell Lake, Wisconsin, January 22, 1982
On January 22, 1982, a Mooney M-20, registered N6029Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shell Lake, Wisconsin (Shell Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1982
- Place
- Shell Lake, Wisconsin · Shell Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20 · all M-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6029Q · registry record · serial 3235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL ON A RUNWAY COVERED WITH HARD PACKED SNOW. AS THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LIFTED OFF OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER AND SLIGHTLY LOWERED THE NOSE, THE PLANE CAME BACK TO THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT HE RELAXED THE RUDDER PRESSURE AND THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY MOVED BACK TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING BEGAN MAKING CONTACT WITH A SNOWBANK AT THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED FARTHER LEFT AND WENT UP ON THE SNOWBANK.
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
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 353 as pilot in command; 41 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 39D Shell Lake WI
- Destination: Eau Claire WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,108 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:50 pm from EAW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.