Mooney M20J accident near Highland Hgts, Ohio, May 8, 1984
On May 8, 1984 at about 11:33 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N3833H, was destroyed in an accident near Highland Hgts, Ohio. 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 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
- May 8, 1984 · about 11:33 am local time
- Place
- Highland Hgts, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N3833H · registry record · serial 24-0957
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO MINS AFTER TAKEOFF, ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN LEFT WING DOWN, MEASURED 63 DEGREES NOSE DOWN, WELL LEFT OF DESIGNATED DEPARTURE COURSE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE IN THE ACFT STRUCTURE, POWER PLANT OR SYSTEMS. PLT'S ACTUAL INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, BOTH TOTAL AND RECENT, COULD NOT DETERMINED FROM LOG BOOK SINCE PLT HAD USED INSTRUMENT DATA BLOCKS TO LOG CROSS-COUNTRY TIME. LAST VALID ENTRY FOR INSTRUMENT TIME SHOWED 3.4 HRS ACTUAL/24.9 HRS SIMULATED AS OF 10/10/81.
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: 270 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,502 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1984; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: T & G Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: CGF Cleveland OH at 11:31 am
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from CGF, 1 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.