Mooney M20C accident near Loogootee, Indiana, January 27, 1986
On January 27, 1986 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N9307V, was destroyed in an accident near Loogootee, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 27, 1986 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Loogootee, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9307V · no longer on the register · serial 690089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF PWR DURING CRUISE FLT AT 6,000 FEET. ATC VECTORED ACFT TOWARD DAVIESS COUNTY ARPT, APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AWAY. PLT REPORTED ACFT ON FIRE. WITNESSES SAW N9307V IN A LEFT BANK TURN THEN 'NOSE DIVE INTO GROUND.' POST CRASH EXAM OF ENGINE REVEALED NO. 3 CYLINDER DEPARATED FROM CRANKCASE. FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THE THROUGHBOLTS/NUTS WERE UNDER TORQUED. THE NO. 2 AND NO. 4 CYLINDERS WERE TOP OVERHAULED IN JULY 1981. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF BOLTS/NUTS REVEALED FATIGUE FAILURES AND 'WORKING' OF NO. 3 CYLINDER FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 815 hours in all; 285 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 641 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,890 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1985; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BWG Bowling Green KY at 10:35 pm
- Destination: GYY Gary IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from HUF, 49 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.