Mooney M20F accident near Evansville, Indiana, October 5, 1983
On October 5, 1983 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3475X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Evansville, Indiana (Dress Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 5, 1983 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Indiana · Dress Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3475X · registry record · serial 670249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT DESPITE THE PLT'S ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH RUDDER & OPPOSITE BRAKE. THE ACFT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY 7 STRUCK THE VASI LIGHTS WITH BOTH WINGS. AN EXAM OF THE BRAKES REVEALED THE ADJUSTING PINS WERE LOOSE. THIS ALLOWED PLAY WHICH COULD HAVE ALLOWED A BRAKE DISC TO COCK.
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: 238 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 206 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,451 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 11, 1983; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 8,020 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from EVV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.