Mooney M20E accident near Ravenna, Ohio, October 28, 1989
On October 28, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N7117U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ravenna, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE PILOT OVERSHOOTING THE APPROACH & LANDING DUE TO MISJUDGING HIS AIRSPEED & DISTANCE, AND A DELAYED GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenna, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N7117U · no longer on the register · serial 359
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUND WITNESS WHO HAD OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DURING ITS APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 'MOVING AT AN EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE SPEED,' AND THAT 'ONLY THE NOSE GEAR TOUCHED DOWN AT A POINT SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY.' THE PILOT ABORTED THE LANDING AND ADDED POWER FOR CLIMB OUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO 'ASSUME A VERY STEEP NOSE UP ATTITUDE, AT WHICH POINT IT STALLED...'
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: 350 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CAK, 19 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.