Mooney M20C accident near Webster, Wisconsin, August 12, 1990
On August 12, 1990 at about 7:43 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N9468V, was destroyed in an accident near Webster, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, THE PILOT'S ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT, AND HIS NIGHT FLYING RESTRICTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1990 · about 7:43 am local time
- Place
- Webster, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9468V · no longer on the register · serial 700059
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT WAS REPORTED MISSING APRX 4 DAYS AFTER HE HAD DEPARTED FOR MADELINE ISLAND. AN AIR SEARCH WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT. ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER, ON 11/17/90, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH IMPACT ANGLE AND AT A HIGH IMPACT SPEED. THE PILOT'S WIFE TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE 'LOVED TO GO TO MADELINE ISLAND AND DRINK.' WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS LAST SEEN IN A BAR AT 0100 CDT, AND THAT HE APPEARED TO BE QUITE INTOXICATED. THE PILOT ASKED SEVERAL PEOPLE FOR A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT, BUT NONE RECALLED SEEING HIM LEAVE THE BAR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT OBSERVED AT THE MADELINE ISLAND AIRPORT LATER THAT MORNING. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION AGAINST NIGHT FLYING DUE TO COLOR BLINDNESS AND REQUIRED CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR NEAR VISION. THERE WERE NO GLASSES LOCATED IN THE WRECKAGE.
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: 2,200 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- 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: WI32 Madeline Island WI
- Destination: RZN Siren WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.